Through the Wall
by Armae
Summary: After Bellwether's arrest, Judy finds herself in hospital. Nick comes to visit, but a drugged Judy sets a chain of events into motion that makes them both wonder if they can just be friends anymore. (Rated M for language and lemon juice in this slice of life blueberry pie) *ON HIATUS*
1. Blueberries

"…Judy,"

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

 _I just wanna sleep, go away,_ Judy feebly swatted at the hoof on her shoulder.

"Judy, it's time to wake up. You're in recovery."

"Mmph?" Judy tried to open her eyes.

"That's it, hun. I'm your nurse, I'll be looking after you. I need you to drink some fluids now, 'kay? Here," the zebra held a cup with a straw to Judy's mouth.

Judy gulped gratefully as the cool water trickled down her throat.

"How is your leg?" the nurse asked as she took the cup away and adjusted the drip, "do you need any more pain relief?"

"The surgery," Judy croaked, "went okay? I can't feel any pain, so when can I get back to work?"

The zebra chuckled softly, "It went fine, but as for work, well, you'll have to stay off it for a while so that you don't tear your sutures."

She picked up the TV remote from the bedside table, "The doctor will talk with you more when you've had some time to wake up."

Judy smiled sleepily.

"You want some TV?"

"Mm-hm, thanks."

The nurse turned the television on.

"ZNN okay? It's nearly time for the six o'clock news."

Judy nodded and sank back into the pillows.

 _"Former Mayor, Dawn Bellwether is behind bars today, guilty of masterminding the savage attacks that have plagued Zootopia of late,"_ reported the leopard newscaster

as the banner read:

FORMER MAYOR BELLWETHER IN PRISON 6:01PM.

Judy's mouth twitched, "...stupid Smellwether. Heehee, 'Smellwether', that's funny!"

The zebra suppressed a grin, "Pain meds are working their magic, I see. Just remember not to make any important decisions, like signing legal documents, until you are

discharged, okay?"

"Mm-hmm."

The moose newscaster continued:

 _"Her predecessor, Leodore Lionheart, denies any knowledge of her plot, claiming he was just trying to protect the city."_

 _"In related news,"_ said the leopard, _"doctors say that the night howler antidote is proving effective in rehabilitating the afflicted predators."_

Judy's eyes widened, "They found an antidote already? That's great!"

The nurse nodded, "Mm, apparently Bellwether's accomplices already had an antidote, just in case they hit prey by mistake."

She busied herself wrapping a blood pressure cuff around Judy's arm.

"Okay, looks good. I'll go and get you some dinner. Be right back," she said.

Judy gave a lazy nod and looked back to the TV to see that Chief Bogo holding a press conference.

 _"Bellwether's deception would not have come to light if not for the bravery of Officer Judy Hopps, who was injured in the line of duty."_

 _"Is Officer Hopps alright?!"_

 _"Are her injuries serious?"_

 _"What can you tell us about her current condition?"_

Chief Bogo raised a hoof, calling for quiet.

 _"She has not been seriously injured. It is my understanding that she will be able to return to duty soon."_

 _"Which hospital is she in?"_

Chief Bogo stood down from the podium.

 _"I would ask that you respect my officer's privacy at this time. No further questions, please."_

Judy had to smile _._

 _Aw, chief buffalo-butt is asking people to respect my privacy!_

She stabbed at random buttons on the remote until she finally clicked the television off.

Still woozy from the anaesthetic, she closed her eyes, when she heard voices from outside her door.

"I uh, don't want to bother her if she's still resting..."

A familiar voice.

Judy grinned widely, "Nick!"

The zebra nurse opened the door and ushered Nick in.

"Don't worry sir, I need to give her something to eat anyway. I see you've brought her dessert," she motioned to the pawpsicle clutched in Nick's paw.

"Heeey _Slick-Nick_ , still hustling I see?" Judy smirked.

"Heeey _dopey_ , don't bite the fox that brings you pawpsicles!" he muttered wryly and handed her the frozen treat.

"Thanks!" Judy beamed.

The nurse set down a tray of food in front of Judy and cast a sideways glance to Nick, "You sure have made yourself comfortable since Miss Hopps was admitted. Don't

you have a home to go to?"

Judy cringed.

No harm was meant, but Nick's ears had twitched just enough for Judy to notice that the comment had hit a sore spot.

But Nick was in Nick mode – 'never let them see that they get to you'.

"Sure I do, had to go and get the pawpsicles, didn't I? Besides," he pulled out his phone and gave it a wiggle, "-it's a good chance to catch up on EweTube. I'm never one

to pass up free Wi-Fi!"

The zebra shook her head and placed her hoof gently on Judy's shoulder, "Miss Hopps is still on strong pain medication, so she may be a bit out of it," she said to Nick.

She took the clipboard off of the edge of the bed and closed the door behind her.

Judy licked off the last of her pawpsicle, "...mm, I am _so_ hungry!"

 _Growl._

"Well that's embarrassing," Nick deadpanned, "I must have sympathy hunger."

Judy gave him a lopsided smile and pushed the tray towards him, "Wanna share?"

"Fine hospital dining? How could I refuse?"

He sat himself at the end of the bed opposite Judy and they ate in silence for a few minutes.

"You want that blueberry tart?" Nick pointed.

"Yep!" Judy snatched at it.

"Hey!"

"Comf anb geb it!" Judy munched, triumphant.

"Don't think I won't, Fluff!" Nick smirked, "There isn't much I won't do for blueberries!"

"Come on then, I dare you!" Judy mumbled through her mouthful.

Nick chuckled, "You're still loopy, Carrots. I'll let you enjoy your ill-gotten victory spoils."

Judy giggled, blueberry juice staining her chin.

"I tell ya what," she leaned and grabbed his tie, eyes half lidded, "I'll give you a taste!"

Before Nick could blink, she pressed her lips against his.

Judy pulled back, smiling at him like a cat who got the cream at his dumbstruck expression.

She pushed a blueberry through her lips with her tongue and burst it with her teeth.

"You think I'm _so_ naïve, Nick," she slurred, licking the blueberry juice away with her tongue.

"...mm," she leaned back on her pillows, eyes closing, "-you'd be surprised!"

* * *

 _What..? Oh no. Oh... God yes… Oh God no!_

Electricity jolted through him.

Nick didn't dare move. He couldn't react.

She was drugged.

She didn't know what she was doing.

 _This should be funny and awkward._

So why was his heart hammering through his chest and the room suddenly unbearably hot?

Judy moved away from him and bit down on the blueberry, the juices trickling down her chin.

 _Aaand the room just became flammable…_

She mumbled something and flopped back down on her pillows, sleep taken hold.

Nick finally remembered to breathe.

 _I'm never going to look at blueberries the same way ever again._

He licked his lips.

 _Hell, I'm not sure I can look at_ her _the same way ever again!_

Feeling like a school kid caught out at mischief, he looked at the door.

Still closed.

No one had seen them.

Maybe she wouldn't remember?

Maybe, that was for the best?

Maybe he should forget it ever happened?

They had just mended their friendship after months of silence, he didn't want to lose it again.

Mind made up, he made a beeline for the bathroom and had the coldest shower of his life.

That was saying a lot for someone who lived under a bridge for twenty years.

He felt better afterward, more in control.

He could catch a few z's on the couch downstairs. He'd gotten away with it last night.

It was going to be okay.

 _If she forgets it, I'll forget it._

That's what he told himself, at least.

* * *

"Mmm…" Judy shifted in the hospital bed.

She felt like she had had a really good dream, but she couldn't remember what it was about.

 _What time is it?_ She cast a bleary eye to the clock on the bedside table, reading seven am.

All she remembered was watching the evening news, then Nick came to see her.

He gave her a pawpsicle.

 _How nice of him to visit me!_

She smiled and went to move her leg.

"Ow..." she grimaced. It hurt a lot more than yesterday, but it was bearable.

There was a knock at the door.

"Miss Hopps?" a beaver popped his head around the door, "ah, you're awake! I'm Dr Tibron, I did your surgery."

"Oh, hi doctor! When can I leave?"

"Hold your horses there. I've had a look at your vitals," he gestured with the clipboard. "-but let's have a look at how you're healing first."

He sat down and unwrapped the bandage from Judy's leg.

"Yep, it's looking good. Just hold tight and I'll get some clean dressings," the beaver shuffled off.

Judy took a look at her injury.

It wasn't as deep as she thought. It did look odd with the surgery site shaved bare.

It also itched.

 _Oooh what a good opportunity to give it a good scratch!_

"Ahhh!" Judy lifted up her hospital gown and stretched her leg out, gingerly scratching around the wound.

Preoccupied with her relief, she didn't notice that the beaver hadn't closed the door behind him.

There stood Nick, a coffee in each hand, eyes like saucers.

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers."

* * *

 _She's doing this on purpose. She has to be._

Nick cleared his throat.

Judy cursed and hurriedly pulled the sheets up to cover herself. "Oh, uh, hi Nick!"

"Hi yourself. Coffee?" Nick handed her a cup.

"T-thanks…"

"No problem," he said.

 _This is bad._

He couldn't even think of a way to joke himself out of this one.

The blueberry tart incident was one thing, but he could tell that Judy was completely lucid now and there was no going back from there.

"So…" Judy said.

"So?"

"Did you go home last night?" she asked.

"Nah, I slept on the couch downstairs."

Judy fiddled with a corner of the bed sheet, "That was nice of you."

Nick smiled.

He could get this under control.

"Don't get so full of yourself, Fluff. It's comfier than a box under a bridge."

He swirled the coffee around in the cup, "Judy, why did you put me as your emergency contact? I mean, don't get me wrong," he held up his cup, "I'm happy to be

milking the free coffee and crash pad, but what about your parents?"

Judy turned her head away from him.

"They… don't know that I was hurt as badly as I was," she said.

"Ah. You're worried they'd freak out and drag you back to Bunnyburrow?"

Judy nodded. "I want to get reinstated at the ZPD. I was miserable back home."

"So what's your plan?"

Judy took a tentative sip of her coffee, blew on it, and then sipped again.

"...I don't know. I need to know how long I'm stuck in here for before I can make any real plans," she said.

"Knock knock?" Dr Tibron peered in, "Are you decent Miss Hopps?"

"Oh uh, yes!" Judy said.

 _This time._ Nick took a large swig of coffee to try to swallow the lump in his throat.

The beaver walked in and held his paw out to Nick.

"Mr Wilde? I believe you are taking care of Miss Hopps after she is discharged?"

"O-oh yeah? Sure?" This was news to him, and he raised an eyebrow at Judy to make that point.

She smiled wanly at him.

"Okay, well let me show you how to redress the bandage. It will need to be changed daily for the next week."

Nick was pleased with himself for keeping his face expressionless as the beaver showed him how to re-bandage Judy's leg.

"And hold here," the doctor gestured.

It was Judy's turn to be mortified, it seemed. She was blushing all the way up to the tips of her ears.

Nick suppressed a smug grin. _Serves you right for last night._

"Well, I'm happy to sign off her discharge papers. You can take her home whenever you are ready. It was good to meet you, Mr Wilde."

"Thanks, doc," Nick said.

The beaver did close the door behind him this time.

Nick put his empty cup on the bedside table.

"Wanna fill me in on that plan of yours?"

Judy was abashed, "I guess I could go stay at a hotel. You don't have to look after me, I can take care of myself."

"That's not happening, Hopps. But you do know that I 'live' under a bridge, right? Not exactly a good place to recuperate," he muttered.

"I'm sorry Nick," Judy finally looked up at him, her lavender eyes misting, "I didn't have time to think it through. All I could focus on was 'I have no apartment' and 'I'm

not going home'.'"

Nick gave her an unreadable look, one that she recognized when he was thinking things through.

"Fine," he said.

"'Fine'?"

"Fine. Being the sly fox that I am," he wiggled his eyebrows, "I have a plan b. But you will owe me BIG time."

* * *

A/N: The cover art for this story was done by the talented Fuzzy Ferret. There is a larger version posted on my Tumblr: armae. tumblr. com and links to her Pinterest! :)


	2. Beauty with a Beastly Mouth

Before long, Nick was pushing Judy in a wheelchair out of the hospital exit, where the Zuber car he called was waiting.

Nick held his arm out for Judy, who returned the gesture with a scowl.

"Stubborn bunny," he muttered as he handed over her crutches.

She shuffled over and into the car. Nick slid in beside her.

"Hey buddy, ninety-eight Hill Street, Downtown."

"You got it," replied the buffalo driver.

Judy gave Nick a curious glance, but he simply looked out the window.

She followed his lead, watching as the lush hospital grounds faded from view and gave way to skyscrapers and high-rises.

"So Carrots," Nick began after some time, "you planning on telling your parents about your leg at all?"

Judy's ears drooped, "I just want to be back on both feet first."

"…I get it."

"Get what?"

Nick shifted his gaze from the window to her.

"I haven't seen Ma since I started pawpsicle hustling."

Judy's eyes widened.

 _Twenty years?!_ She couldn't imagine being away from her family for that long!

"What happened?! Oh, sorry, you don't have to talk about it..." Judy said.

Nick grinned. "Hey, we're past that, right? No secrets between friends? Or, ahem, _underwear_ , apparently."

"NICK!" mortified, Judy punched him in the arm.

"OW! You'll have _me_ in the hospital if you keep that up!" Nick said.

"Consider yourself lucky to still be _alive_!" Judy crossed her arms.

"How is your lack of underwear my fault, _madam_?"

"Back to the subject," Judy clenched her teeth, trying to ignore the blush creeping up her ears. "So why haven't you seen your mom for so long?"

"...It's complicated," he said quietly.

Embarrassment gone, Judy put her paw on Nick's.

He took a deep breath, "I've been thinking. I am going to apply for the ZPD afterall. I'm gonna make her proud."

Judy smiled and gave his paw a reassuring pat, "I'm sure she's plenty proud of you already."

"I doubt it, but hey, you can ask her yourself. In a few minutes."

"Oh?! Oh…"

"Told ya you'd owe me big," Nick smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I slept under a bridge for years so I wouldn't have to ask Ma what I'm gonna ask her," he said.

"And, that is…?"

"For a roof over my head, and _yours_ , until you get better."

Judy's jaw dropped.

* * *

"Ninety-eight Hill Street," the driver inclined his head to the right.

Judy looked out.

It was a rough part of town. Not the worst she'd ever seen, but the apartment building was old and tired.

The paint had peeled, and graffiti was the only halfhearted attempt at decoration on the brickwork.

Nick had already paid the driver and was holding the car door open for Judy, crutches in hand.

She nodded, took the crutches from him, and eased herself out of the car.

"Oh, my bag-"

"Right here," Nick held it up and the car pulled away.

He took a deep breath.

"This…is where I grew up."

Judy fumbled for the right thing to say, but all that came out was: "Uh-huh?"

"It's okay, Fluff. It is what it is."

Nick steeled himself and walked up the worn steps, once so familiar.

He gave a tentative knock.

The door creaked opened part of the way, chain still in place.

" _Nicholas?!"_

His ears drooped sideways, "Y-yeah. Hi, Ma."

The door slammed.

Judy thought that was the end of it, when suddenly the chain was unlocked and a stunning vixen opened the door.

Judy gasped.

Her paws were a paler red than Nick's, and her face was a stunning mixture of white, silvering into blonde, making her amber eyes all the more striking.

 _She's so beautiful!_ Judy gaped.

"Ma, I-"

"Nicholas Piberius Wilde!"

 _Piberius?_ Judy would have giggled if it weren't such a tense moment, especially since-

 _SLAP!_

"Okay, I deserved that."

"Damn straight you fucking did!"

Judy blinked. Nick's mom had quite the potty mouth!

"Do you have _ANY_ idea what you put me through?!"

Nick hung his head, but his mom lifted his chin up with her paw and stared him down.

"Too fucking proud to visit your own mother?! You thought _I, of all people,_ would judge you for being a pawpsicle hustler?!"

She took a great shuddering breath, tears streaming, "There are worse ways to hustle, you dumb kit!"

She brushed her eyes with the back of her paw and took a deep breath.

"Okay, enough of this shit where the neighbors can rubberneck at us. Get in here, the two of you!"

A terrified set of emerald eyes met amethyst.

"Yes Ma!"

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

After Judy had eased herself onto the shabby sofa, Nick sat next to her and they looked towards the older fox seated on milk crate she had pulled out front of them.

"Ma, the place is so run down. Haven't you been getting my… deliveries? From Finnick?"

"Yes, I have," she said.

Nick looked relieved, then confused.

Judy couldn't help but be suspicious.

 _Deliveries? Oh no, not drugs!_

As if he read her mind, Nick gave her a stern look.

" _Money_ , Carrots. Why do you think I was so worried about you reporting me for tax evasion? Whatever I didn't need to survive, I got Finnick to give to Ma, after his

cut."

Judy was speechless.

 _I could have ruined his life, just to prove myself as a cop._ Her ears drooped.

Nick flinched under the steely stare from his mother.

"I never _asked_ you for any of that, Nick. I just wanted my _son_. Fuck the money, I got by."

Nick scowled, "Interesting choice of words, _mother_."

The vixen folded her arms. "I'm not ashamed, Nick. I own this whole apartment building now. Is it the Palms? Not by a long shot. But I did it on my own."

"You didn't _need_ to do it on your own! I worked every single day for you, Ma!"

Nick stood up, agitated, "-so you wouldn't have to do _that_ anymore!"

He waved his arm around the dilapidated apartment. "Why do you live like this?! The money I gave you should have been enough for you to live comfortably!"

Nick's mother put her paws on her hips. "You lived as you chose, Nick. As did I. Except for the fact that I'm your _mother_ and taking care of you was supposed to be _my_

goddamn job, not the other way around!"

The tip of Nick's tail twitched in irritation. "So where _is_ all the money I earned that you were too good to take, then?!"

She walked over to a lopsided bookshelf in the corner of the room and gave it a hard push to one side.

Behind it was an old, rusted safe embedded into the wall. She put the combination in.

"It's here."

Judy had never seen so much money in her life.

Wads upon wads of notes, neatly stacked.

Nick fell to his knees.

"No," he whispered, "Ma, _why?_ " he choked out, "The only way I could live as I did was because I thought I was making your life _better_!"

"How could you just _leave_ me for twenty years, Nick?" she walked to the window and quickly peered through the curtain before setting the safe back behind the

bookshelf.

"Because of your fox pride? Well who the fuck did you think you got that from?!"

Judy watched the exchange and mused on how comparatively simple her childhood had been.

The older fox knelt down and put her paws on her sons' shoulders.

"You earned this to make a life for _yourself_ and maybe to raise me some grandkits someday, not to bail your ma out, for fucksake!"

She turned around and looked at Judy, as though noticing her for the first time, "So who's the bunny?"

Judy opened her mouth but Nick waved a paw to shush her.

"This is my friend, Judy. She's been injured and needs someplace to stay. Judy, this is –" he quirked an eyebrow at his mom, "-still going by Mrs Wilde?"

"You know that would never change, I'll be his wife 'til the day I join him."

Judy's face fell when she realized Nick was fatherless, and wanted to say something comforting, but Mrs Wilde had already approached her and was holding out her paw

to shake.

"If you're a friend of Nick's, you're a friend of mine. I'll give you a warmer welcome when I'm not so fucking pissed at my son," she glared at Nick.

"Jeez, would you ease up on the cussing, Ma?" Nick said.

"Oh hang on, I'm sure I have it here somewhere…"

Mrs Wilde made a show of looking in all of her pockets and sleeves, "Oh dear, I am _so_ sorry. It looks like I don't have any!"

"Any what, Mrs Wilde?" Judy piped up.

The two foxes smirked at each other and said in unison:

"Any fucks to give."

Judy rolled her eyes.

"…Are you sure that safe isn't like, a _giant_ swear jar?"

* * *

"So you need a place to stay, Judy?" she turned to her son.

"Ever the bleeding heart, eh Nick?" The vixen's eyes softened. "Good. Follow me."

Nick and Judy exchanged glances but followed her out of the room.

"Like I said, I own the whole apartment building now. I've made some… changes, since you left," she pushed the next door open, eliciting a gasp from the younger

mammals.

It was a dining room. Modern, tastefully decorated, with the longest dining table Judy had ever seen, even back home with all of her siblings! She looked at Mrs Wilde,

who was wearing Nick's trademark 'sly fox' grin.

"I'll show you the kitchen, it's just been remodeled."

It was equally clean, modern and stylish.

Nick's mouth hung open in shock, "But Ma, the- the crappy front room… why?"

Mrs Wilde popped her hip and rested a paw on it, "It's called a hustle, sweetheart."

"So, you've renovated all the interiors of the rooms, but not the rest of the place?" Nick asked.

"I'm not a fucking moron. In this neighborhood, that's just asking for trouble. All the rooms have security locks for the girls' safety."

"'Girls?'" Nick's face fell, "...Ma, please don't tell me you're a-"

"A 'madam'? How dare you. I'm a savvy businesswoman," she said.

She walked out of the kitchen to a courtyard outside.

"See that building?" she gestured.

Nick squinted.

"What, the Peppermint Rhino?"

"Mm-hm. That's mine too." Mrs Wilde smiled at the confused duo.

"I put the money I earned away until I didn't have to 'work' that way anymore. If no one would hire a fox, then I'd become my own boss. Over the years, I've had it

renovated from a seedy strip club into a five star entertainment burlesque house.

"I called it _Digitalis._ I find gals like me who had to do… worse than just tease in the past, and I give them a job there, and a home here," she waved a paw back at the

apartment.

"Taught 'em how to sing, dance, act, and tease, and our shows sell out every night. It's become quite lucrative."

She saw the aghast expression on Judy's face.

"Don't worry, fuzzy Bunny, frowning gives you wrinkles."

She turned to Nick, " _No one_ is allowed to touch my gals. They are like daughters to me. I also have security guards who are intensely loyal. They live here too. Polar

bears lucky enough to escape from some crime boss in Tundratown."

Nick and Judy shared a nervous glance.

Mrs Wilde turned to her son, "It's not exactly the Zootopian dream, but it's making lemonade out of lemons. That's what life is, Nick," she grabbed both of his paws in

hers.

"Your heart was in the right place, but you fucked up," she sighed.

"You're your mother's son, you poor bastard. You lived under a bridge for your pride, not for me. Did you realize what a burden you were putting on Finnick by making

him piggy in the middle?" she said.

She dropped her paws away from Nick's. "I'm not gonna let you stay here, Nick."

Nick's face fell.

"You're gonna take some money from this safe," she said as she walked back inside to the front room, "and get your own place. Maybe pay for this doe-eyed gal to stay

in a five star hotel to recover, until - oh,"

She raised her eyebrows and held up two fingers, "-unless you two are a… twosome?" she began to pack the cash into a duffel bag.

"N-no! He's my friend!" Judy spluttered, nearly overbalancing on her crutches, "Oh right! Nick, tell her your news!"

Nick put his paws behind his back and stood up straight, "Ma, I'm gonna apply to get into the police academy."

"'Kay. So you're you a glutton for punishment. What else is new?" she said, continuing to fill the bag.

Nick chuckled, "Wouldn't have _her_ as a friend if I wasn't- ow! Dammit Carrots, quit punching me! You're stronger than you look!"

Mrs Wilde looked from Nick to Judy, and back to Nick.

"My nose isn't blind, Nick. You've found your mark, haven't you?" she grinned slyly.

Judy looked at Nick, the cream fur on his muzzle and inner ears turning pink.

"I didn't know foxes could blush! Haha Nick, now we're even for the underwear thing!" Judy said with glee.

Mrs Wilde burst out laughing. "Oh Nick, you are _so_ gonna fill me in later, but I gotta get to work, and time is money. Go Find Finnick and buy him a fucking drink. Every

week. For the rest of your life. Make it up to him."

She gently herded Nick out the door and Judy hobbled after him.

"Here," she produced a stuffed duffel bag.

"Come back when you need more. Don't be a stranger," she pulled Nick towards her and hugged him fiercely. "-and do whatever makes you happy. Or I'll kick your ass."


	3. Roomies, Fluff!

"Nick? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm glad I saw Ma. It's a bummer she won't let us stay here, though. You can't exactly sleep in this duffel bag while I nurse you back to health.

Although," he lifted it up by Judy, comparing the size, "You'd probably fit!"

Judy nudged him playfully with her elbow.

She sighed, "I'm sorry for putting you in this position, Nick. I really can just go to a hotel."

"Carrots, you can't afford it."

Judy looked confused, "How do you-"

"Because when I signed the duty of care form as we left the hospital, I saw that you had already paid the fee upfront."

He cringed, "Sheesh, you'd think for THAT amount of money that could've at least given you a pair of pant-"

"You're not gonna let me live that down, are you?" Judy said.

"No chance. Anyway," he hefted the duffel bag. "It seems that I have come into some money. Filthy, tax free money. But I'm willing to share. You're not gonna rat me

out, are ya?"

"That's offensive to rodents!"

"Are we in Little Rodentia? No, we are not," Nick said.

Judy looked up at him, frustrated.

"No I wouldn't 'rat' you out. I'm hurt that you think I'd do that to you after everything!"

She fidgeted.

"But, I can't ask you to pay for a roof over my head!"

"So you _are_ going back to Bunnyburrow?" Nick said.

"No!"

"So you _can_ afford to rent your own place?"

"…no."

"So you _are_ gonna ask your parents for the money?"

"NO!" the foot on Judy's uninjured leg tapped furiously.

"Then it's settled. We're gonna be roomies, Fluff!"

Nick gave Judy such a wide, genuine smile that she couldn't help but grin back stupidly in response.

"Okay, _roomie_ ," she sat down on the step - her leg was starting to hurt - "Where?"

"Well, we'd need somewhere that accepts cash under the table. Don't give me that look! You know what they say about stones and glass houses. Let's see what we've

got to work with here," Nick looked left and right to check the coast was clear before discretely unzipping the duffel bag.

His fingers flicked through the notes as he counted, "…six… seven thousand- huh, what's this?"

Tucked beneath a pile of bills, he pulled out an envelope, yellowed and faded.

His name was written neatly on the front.

Nick took it out and re-zipped the bag.

"Is that from your mom?" Judy peered over his shoulder as he sat next to her on the step.

Nick shook his head, "It's not her handwriting."

He ran a claw gently under the seal and pulled the letter from the envelope.

A rusty key fell out onto the pavement.

Puzzled, Nick picked it up and then read the letter silently.

Judy moved her head back, not wanting to pry.

After a few minutes, Nick handed her the letter.

"Are you sure…?" she looked at him, concerned. His ears were down, and he was facing away from her, turning the key over and over in his paws.

He simply nodded.

Judy read the letter:

' _Hey there, my special little guy, it's Dad._

 _As I write this, you are only seven years old. You probably won't read this until you are an adult, but I'm sure your Ma will give this to you when she thinks the time is_ _right._

 _The key is to the cottage that once belonged to your grandmother, on Lowland Drive. When she passed she gave it to me, and now it is yours. Your Ma insists that you_ _have it. We've almost paid off our little apartment, she says she'd much prefer to raise you here._

 _I'm sorry that I won't be there to see you become a grown fox. I wish I could see your school graduations, big birthdays… to see you find your own mate._

 _I wish I could be there to see you tell Ma off for her potty mouth. You're obsessed with being a good little junior ranger scout. Your Ma will make sure you have the_ _opportunity. I wish I could see you in that little uniform. You're going to make the world a better place, I just know it._

 _If I were to give you any advice, it would be to treasure your mother, and when you are older, to treasure your mate. Family is important to many mammals, but as_ _foxes, it is our lifeblood. We mate for life. Your Ma and I share the hope that you will one day find great happiness with that special mate, the axis on which your world_ _turns, like we did in each other._

 _Nicholas, always remember how much your Ma and I love you. No matter what._

 _You and your mother. The lights and loves of my life._

 _Love, Dad'_

"He died when I was seven," Nick said quietly, "the same year he wrote the letter. He knew he was…"

Judy felt her eyes misting as she handed the letter back.

"Oh Nick," she placed her paw gently on his arm.

Nick still wouldn't look at her, but he continued, "Ma said she knew he was sick for a long time, but hid it. She took him to the hospital, but foxes faced more… intense

discrimination twenty-five years ago."

"Do you mind if ask…?"

"Well, when it first broke out in poorer fox populations, they called it the _vulpine_ immunodeficiency virus," Nick said.

"But-!" Judy began, then quietened to let Nick speak.

"Yeah I know, now most know that all mammals can catch or spread it, but back then," Nick grit his teeth together, "-well let's just say that Fox Repellent products were

used… liberally."

Judy cringed.

"After Dad died, Mom and I were tested, just in case, but we didn't have it. Dad most likely had cancer, but no doctor would go near him in case he had the virus," Nick

said, running a gentle thumb over the letter.

Judy couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

"Ah c'mon, don't you start, emotional bunny! Or you'll… you'll m-make me…" his clenched his fists by his sides as Judy sobbed into his chest.

He slowly raised his arms and pulled her closer to him, gently cradling the back of her head.

"Judy," he whispered.

"It's okay… to be emotional sometimes," she said.

She wrapped her paws around his torso, softly weeping as she felt Nick's tears drip down from his face onto hers, until they became her own.

* * *

"Okay, okay," Nick eventually pulled away from Judy and rubbed at his eyes with his red handkerchief.

"Deep breaths, hey?" he gave Judy a watery smile, "I'll call us another Zuber."

"I can walk fine with crutches, Nick. It's not like I broke a bone, it's just a few stitches," Judy said.

"Nope, Dr Wilde forbids it," he tapped away on his phone.

"Alright, should be here in five."

Judy sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"Oh sorry, I would've offered you this," Nick held up the hanky, "but um, it may be considered biological warfare to do so."

"Haha! Ewww!" Judy brightened.

 _Time to cheer Nick up!_

"I thought it smelled funny!"

" _You_ smell funny," he said with a smirk.

"Takes one to smell one!"

"Well, better get used to it, _roomie_. Emotional heartbreak aside," he gestured away with a paw and gave her a small smile, "-this is kinda exciting. Never had my own

place before."

"...You really lived under a bridge all the time?" Judy said.

"'In physical and emotional squalor?' Most of the time, yeah. If I got sick, Finnick would let me sleep in his van. I know a lot of people, I couch surfed… but was I

basically bum? Yes, yes I was."

Judy put a gentle paw on his back, "No one in the world that deserves this break as much as you do."

"Thanks, Fluff. Seriously," he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a brief side hug.

"Are you sure you don't mind me mooching off you?" she grinned.

"Despite what I said earlier 'you owe me big', well, your er, support just now," Nick scratched the back of his neck, "-let's just say I owe you one now, 'kay?"

"Yes! This is gonna be fun!" Judy hopped up excitedly on her good leg, then her brain caught up with her.

 _Slow down, this is Nick's win, not yours. You don't want him to think you're taking advantage of him!_

"Oh, I know it would only be temporary!" she stuttered.

"And don't worry, I'd pay you back rent once I'm off sick leave, and then I'll get out of your fur," she said.

Nick blinked.

 _Why am I disappointed to hear her say that?_

But his face stayed in the same half smile expression as before, "Okay, no problem."

The Zuber car pulled up, and Nick was grateful for the distraction.

"Okaaay let's roll! Lowland Drive, my good mammal!" Nick said over-cheerfully to the driver.

It did not go unnoticed by Judy.

* * *

The car drove away and they stared at the cottage before them.

 _This looks really out of place,_ Judy thought.

It was like a tiny slice of suburbia, green overgrown lawn included, dwarfed by looming, modern apartment buildings and mansions on both sides.

It reminded Judy of her first day of training at the academy, being towered over by polar bears and elephants.

Lowland Drive was technically still in Savannah Central, while still being close to both Downtown and the Rainforest district.

Eventually the convenience of the location was realized, and the real estate market had skyrocketed.

Nick furrowed his brow as he pushed the front gate open through grass as tall as he was.

"I think…yeah. I've been here before. This place was the only house on the street, then. I don't remember my Grandma much though," he said.

He looked around, then chuckled, "Lost in the wilderness there?"

"Shaddap," he heard her voice, muffled, "I can't jump high enough on one leg. Oh!"

"Hey! Carrots, let go of my tail!" Nick yelped.

"Just until we make it to the front door," Judy said.

Nick blushed.

 _You don't just touch a fox's tail!_

He wanted to say so, but he kept his mouth shut.

They made it to the deck, and Judy let go of his tail and balanced on her other crutch.

Nick turned the rusted key in the lock and the door creaked open.

Judy had been expecting a retired old grandma's house.

She was very wrong.

"Well Nick, looks like your mom has been busy!" she said with a grin.

"I'll say! Would it have killed her to mow the lawns, though?" Nick looked back behind him.

"Maybe it's a part of her 'looks can be deceiving' hustle?" Judy said.

"Most likely," Nick ambled through the kitchen.

All remodeled.

Not as fancy as his mom's kitchen at her apartment, but much better than the dated brown and green kitchen he vaguely recalled.

The carpet was plush and sank sinfully under his feet with every step.

"Aww SWEET!" Nick cried out as he ran forwards into the living room and gaped at the sixty inch TV.

He opened the cupboard of the unit underneath, finding it empty except for a post-it note.

' _Waste your_ _ **own**_ _money on those silly video games!~Ma'_

Nick chuckled. _Ma knows me too well!_

"Oh I am SO getting one of every console!" Nick rubbed his paws together with glee.

He noticed Judy standing awkwardly in the kitchen.

"Carrots, get off that leg and come sit," Nick gestured to the sofa behind him.

Judy complied.

Nick pressed a few buttons on the TV remote, to no avail.

"Oh yeah. Hold tight, I'll go and turn the power box on."

Judy's sharper hearing immediately picked up the hum of the refrigerator as the power went on.

 _Growl._

"Man, I heard that from over here!" Nick chuckled as he re-entered the house.

"I could use a bite to eat myself," he pulled out his phone.

"Wow, two o'clock already? No wonder we're hungry, I'll order us some take out, what would you like?"

Judy smiled up at him, "Surprise me! I'll eat most things. Oh, I don't eat fish though," Judy said.

"That's okay, me neither. How about a pizza?" Nick said.

"Sure!"

* * *

"Owww my eyes were bigger than my stomach," Judy groaned, rubbing her belly.

"Well shrimp, at your size, I could believe it," Nick quipped.

She got up gingerly and wiped a few stray crumbs from her shirt.

"I think it's about time I had a tour?"

Nick bowed, "I am so sorry, milady," he looked up the hallway.

"Er, this way?"

Judy laughed, "Okay, so it's a mystery tour?"

"Quite, my dear. This way, we have some… floorboards, yes. Presumably for standing on?"

"Nick stop, you're gonna make me puke from laughing!" Judy said, holding her sides.

"Oh, that's hot," Nick said.

"Shush, you!" Judy said, ears tinged pink.

They walked around the hallway and found two bedrooms side by side. Each had a double bed, the plastic still on the mattresses.

"Ooh! Nice bathroom!" Judy called out.

Nick wandered back and smiled.

"Oh my god!" he cried out.

"What?!"

"There's a LAUNDRY. No more sitting in the laundromat in my underpants for _this_ guy!" Nick said, pointing his thumbs at himself with pride.

Judy bit her lip to keep from laughing.

Nick saw and smirked, "'Is he joking? Or isn't he?'"

He bent down to her eye level and whispered in her ear, "You'll never know!"

Judy just stood there, dumbstruck.

"Uh, this is where you're supposed to laugh, dum-dum," Nick deadpanned.

He quirked his head to the side.

"Are you… blushing, Hopps? I mean, I know the thought of me in my underwear must be quite-"

"I kissed you! In the hospital!" Judy squeaked.

 _Crap._

"Um, er, what makes you say that?" Nick shifted from foot to foot.

 _She realised way sooner than I thought she would._

"Your scent when you leaned in just then!" Judy touched a paw to her lips, eyes huge.

"Oh."

"And you didn't say anything til now, _why_ exactly?" Judy said her shock ebbed and her foot tapped the floorboards ever so slightly.

"Oh, sure. Like it's that easy to tell someone that they've kissed you while under the influence!" Nick huffed.

He looked at his feet.

"I thought it would be... better if you didn't remember it."

"But I did," Judy said.

"…Yeah."

"That… was my first kiss, Nick," Judy said softly.

"…mine too."

Judy's eyes went wide, "Are you serious?!"

 _The nerve of her!_

"What, it's okay for it to be _your_ first kiss, but not for me?!" Nick said.

"You're older than me! Like, thirty-three!" Judy exclaimed.

"Thirty-two. Anyway! It's different with foxes. We're very… choosy. I'm more surprised at you, being a bunny! No offense."

Judy sighed.

"It is true, we have strong… drives. I've been taking hormonal suppressant medication to control it since I was in high school. A lot of female bunnies do until they are

ready to settle down and have-" she shuddered, "-hundreds of babies."

"Not what you want?" Nick said.

"Well, maybe one, but not like a," she made air quotes with her fingers, "'normal bunny'. I was totally focused on becoming a police officer."

"So at the hospital…?"

Judy thought quietly for a few moments before slapping a paw against her forehead.

"That's right! I'd left in such a hurry from Bunny burrow, I didn't bring my meds with me," she said.

"I thought it was just the pain medication?" Nick said.

"That added to it sure, but I'm honestly having difficulty even now. With you," Judy said.

"'Even?''" Nick wasn't sure whether he was offended or flattered.

 _Bit 'o column A, bit of column B._

"Look, it wouldn't have happened if I had taken my pills," Judy finally looked up at Nick, her eyes full of sincerity.

"I don't want to lose my friendship with you because of this. I'll get some more pills at the drug store tomorrow."

Judy yawned, "But right now, I'm gonna crash. Which bedroom can I use?"

"Oh uh, I don't mind, you pick. I'll bet there are some sheets in here," he opened a cupboard in the hallway, where sure enough, there were two sets of sheets – one

green, one purple.

"Huh, at least we'll know which is which in the wash. Purple?" Nick said.

"Sure."

"Okay let's get this plastic off," Nick said.

* * *

A little while later, both beds were made.

Judy had insisted on helping Nick make his bed, which was good, because Nick had _no_ clue.

Nick yawned, "I'm way overdue for my afternoon nap, so I might hit the hay as well. Let me know if you need anything, 'kay?"

"Okay. Nick," Judy began.

"Hm?"

Judy reached out and grasped his paw in hers.

Nick really hoped she couldn't hear his heart hammering out of his chest.

"We, us… we're still friends, right?" she asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

"Of course we are, Hopps," Nick said with a gentle smile.

"You're not mad at me for… what happened?"

"No, I'm not. Don't worry your fuzzy little head about it. We're good. Night!" Nick gave her paw a quick squeeze before closing the door to her room.

He went and lay down on his bed, wishing he could fully appreciate how comfortable it was, but his mind was racing.

After a few minutes, he could hear Judy snoring very softly.

He lifted his paw up and pressed it gently against the wall.

He could feel faint vibrations of her breathing reverberate through it.

 _If she doesn't feel the same way as I think I do, that's okay,_ he thought as the rhythm of her breathing lulled him gently towards sleep.

 _This is enough for now._


	4. Imprinted?

"Nick," Judy breathed huskily into his ear.

Nick stirred.

His chest felt heavy. He opened his eyes and saw Judy leaning over him.

"Judy?! What are you-"

"Shh," she pressed a finger gently to his lips, "Mmm, you called me 'Judy' again. I like that. I'll give you a reward…"

The blood rushed to his head. He could hear his pulse thrumming frantically through his ears.

She brought her face even closer to his, and he thought she was going to kiss him.

As though she had read his mind, she shook her head.

"No, I know what you _really_ want," she slowly brought her cheek so, _so_ close to his, and gently nuzzled.

Nick thought he might just ignite.

"You're _mine_ , Nick."

Bliss. Indescribable bliss. He started to nuzzle back-

 _ **RRRrriiing!**_

"Argh?!" Nick lurched upright in bed.

It was only a dream.

He was relieved…

…and disappointed.

 _Where the hell am I?!_

He looked around, seeing clearly in the dark.

 _That's right, my new home,_ he couldn't help but smile.

 _My_ own _home._

Nick felt his phone vibrate again through his pocket.

He took it out saw Finnick's caller ID -a photo of the smaller fox in a diaper flipping the bird- and answered it.

 _"Yo Nick, I just heard from your Ma. You at the new digs now?"_

"Uh, yeah I am," he cleared his throat, "-so is Jud- erm, Officer Hopps."

 _"Oh, you mean_ Hot Fuzz _?"_

Nick scowled, that was a bit too close to home after that… dream.

"Her name is _Judy Hopps_."

 _"Yeah, I know- Hot Fuzz! Your Ma told me you got it BAD for her, even if you don't know it yet! She could smell it on you!"_

Nick just gave a frustrated sigh. He heard the humor leave Finnick's voice.

 _"…big day, man?"_

 _That's an understatement_.

He suddenly remembered what his mom had said.

"…I'm sorry, Finn."

 _"Huh? Why?"_

"For putting you in the middle for so long. For being too much of a coward to see Ma myself."

 _"Get over yo'self,"_

Nick heard Finnick give a throaty chuckle.

 _"Three of us have been tight since you and me were kits. Even if not all together."_

The line went quiet.

"…You there, bud?" Nick asked.

 _"Yeah, was jus thinkin' she may as well be **my** ma too. I ain't got no comparison. So I wasn't just doin' it for you."_

 _Huh. Just when you think you know somebody,_ Nick thought.

Nick glanced at the duffel bag at the end of his bed.

"Did you know that she didn't spend it? The money we earned?"

 _"Well, I know she's runnin' that club and it's making some green. Maybe she didn't need it no more?"_

Nick frowned. "That still doesn't answer my question, Finn."

 _"…yeah man, I knew. But all that stuff at your new digs, she used some of your cash for that. I helped her move it all in my van."_

Nick chuckled softly at the image of the two of them swearing like sailors as they battled to get the furniture inside.

"Thanks, buddy. I owe you. I've been a selfish jerk all these years."

 _"S'okay, Nick. I get the whole pride thang."_

Nick smiled, "Thank you for being there for her."

 _"Like I said, it was more for me. You gonna be a better son now, right? Show yo face 'round there more often?"_

"…Yeah."

 _"Then, we cool."_

"Finn, if you ever need a place to stay, let me know," Nick said.

 _"And give up my sweet van? Not a million! Just shout me a few drinks sometime. Ciao."_

The call ended.

Nick blinked at the brightness from his phone, and smiled at the wallpaper - a selfie he and Judy had taken together months ago.

Even when they weren't speaking after the press conference, he couldn't bring himself to change the image.

 _I'd better check on her. I probably woke her talking to Finn,_ he winced.

He got up, smoothing his clothes on the way.

He stopped at her door, paw on the doorknob.

 _What if she's still asleep and I disturb her?_

He listened. Nothing but soft breathing.

He quietly opened the door.

Judy had kicked her covers off and was curled up in a ball facing towards him, still asleep.

Nick walked over and gently pulled the covers back up.

 _...I shouldn't stare._

But there he stood, transfixed, watching her sleep.

Moonlight shone through the window, making her silvery fur shimmer.

 _Nick Wilde, you are being straight out_ creepy _!_ he chastised himself.

He stepped away, but was finding it difficult to tear his eyes away from her. She looked so peaceful.

And, if he was being honest with himself, she looked beautiful.

Not cute, beautiful.

 _Dammit, Ma, you might be right._

He visibly shook himself.

 _No! It was just the dream!_ _You've just had an emotional day, that's all,_ he told himself.

He knew he had to leave. What if she woke up? But just then her little nose twitched in her sleep and his willpower faded.

He took a deep breath.

He had checked on her.

She was okay.

 _Time to 'GTFO' as Ma would say._

He walked out the door, sneaking one last look at her sleeping form.

 _All this, it doesn't mean that I've…_

 _Don't think it! Don't think it! Don't think it!_

 **Imprinted. On her.**

 _Slow. Clap. Nick. You just thought it._

His ears fell.

 _No..._

The very thought gave him the motivation he needed to leave ASAP and close the door softly behind him.

He walked out to the lounge room and flopped on the couch, frowning at the ceiling.

He had to think.

 _Hang on_.

For him to have imprinted on her, wouldn't they have had to be… intimate? More intimate than the couple of hugs they had shared.

Sure, she had kissed him in the hospital, but even before then he felt the bond between them growing more heavily weighted on his side.

 _Since when?_

He certainly didn't feel that way when they first met. The fox repellent on her hip had done its job and repelled him at the very sight of it.

Did he think she was cute back then?

Yes, he did.

He even told her so as an insult. She was a bunny. Cute bunnies, sly foxes.

 _Stereotypes. Big deal._

Judy had saved his life, well, more than once in a very short period of time. Maybe it was due to the adrenaline rush?

He'd heard somewhere that adrenaline-fueled situations could trigger attractions in other mammals.

 _But when?_

He frowned.

Certainly not when she saved them from being 'iced' by Mr Big.

He had still wanted to get the carrot pen back, so was more willing to help when they went to talk to Manchas.

Nick's eyes widened.

The Rainforest District.

He saw it clearly now.

Back when Judy had saved them from Manchas, they fell, becoming entangled upside-down in vines.

His cheek had accidentally nuzzled against hers!

His relief at still being _alive_ was overpowering, so he hadn't noticed at the accidental intimacy at the time.

The more he thought about it, the more it all made sense.

Maybe that's why he stood up to that Chief Bogo for her afterward?

Maybe that's why he shared his own experience of discrimination with her?

Until then, only Finnick and his mother had known about that.

When Judy had put her paw on his arm in the gondola and complimented him with such sincerity, he had realised how much of himself he had revealed.

He had shrank away from her touch and tried to deflect her attention to the traffic -a good thing in the end- as it took them one step closer to solving the missing mammal case.

Nick raised his paws to his cheeks as the realisation dawned on him.

 _Never let them see that they get to you._

 _Pfft. Good one, Nick._

There might be no going back for him.

He had never felt this way about another fox, or any other mammal for that matter.

It wasn't as if he hadn't tried taking more than a few vixens on dates over the years.

He'd charm, flirt, and go through the motions, waiting to be 'love-struck' by that one true mate.

Because he never did, some would eventually offer, " _So, wanna come back to my place?"_ and, inexplicably, he never wanted to.

He'd make up some excuse, said he had work in the morning (which wasn't a lie) and maybe they could have coffee another time.

Eventually, it would fizzle out.

There was one time, when he thought, _screw it_ , and drank more than he normally would when Finnick introduced him to a friend of his at their favourite bar.

That particular vixen seemed interested and after the usual flirting, she suggested going back to her place, and this time he had the liquid courage to say 'yes'.

They had sat awkwardly on her sofa, making small talk over a cheap bottle of wine, when she had eventually said _, "Sorry Nick. I don't think this is going to work. Wanna_ _just be friends?"_

Finnick had asked him about it the next day, and was disappointed that it didn't go well.

Nick came clean and said he was actually relieved, that he was sick of dating.

To his surprise, Finnick had understood.

 _"We foxes, we are wary daters for a reason. We never evolved out of matin' for life."_

He went on to say that if Nick was sick of it, then maybe it'd be better not to date from now on. Better that than the worst case scenario.

Nick asked what that was.

Finnick had given him that ' _You bring this up again, I kill you'_ look that he gave whenever he opened up a little, teensy bit.

 _"Worst case scenario, Nick, is when one fox imprints on another but that other don't feel the same way. Unrequited love bullshit,_ that's _the worst case scenario."_

They didn't speak of it again.

Looking back at it now, Nick knew he had no real experience with chemistry back then.

It was all just an act - all hustle with nothing to sell.

Now he understood, especially after reading his dad's letter about finding that one true mate.

A fox. Imprinting on a _bunny_ , of all mammals.

 _Argh, what's wrong with me?!_

Judy just wanted to be friends.

He'd done exactly what Finnick warned him not to do.

Nick sighed and rolled over on the sofa when he heard a crumple from his pocket.

He pulled out the piece of paper the doctor had given him after Judy was discharged from the hospital.

 _Crap._

He'd meant to read it earlier.

He ran his eyes over it.

 _'Designated caregiver should stay vigilant for signs of: fever, excessive sweating, chills, pain and bleeding from surgical site._

 _Site is to remain dry for at least forty-eight hours after hospital discharge to reduce the risk of infection.'_

It repeated the details for changing the bandages, pain medication directions and so on.

Nick's eyes widened at the next line:

 _'Patient may be sponge bathed with assistance, only for three days after arriving home. After time has lapsed the patient may bathe as normal.'_

 _A sponge bath?_

 _Assistance?!_

Nick suppressed a groan.

 _Are you freakin' kidding me?!_

She can do that herself.

 _Surely._

"…Nick?" he nearly jumped a foot in the air at her voice, "are you up?"

"Yeah, I am. I'll be there in a sec," he was relieved that his voice didn't betray the intensity of his thoughts.

He walked up the hall and reopened her door.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked, standing in the doorway.

"A little sore, but better," she grinned, and her eyes sparkled, "I could really use a shower, though."

 _Really, God? Do you hate me that much?!_

He put his paws in front of him as casually as he could.

"Ooh, no can do, Carrots. Says so right here," he gestured with the paper.

"You can't bathe for forty-eight hours," he grinned and pinched his nose, "how unfortunate for the both of us!"

Judy's mouth fell open, "You're kidding! Lemme see that!"

 _Ah crap._

He thought fast.

He quickly turned around folded the paper into an aeroplane and threw it over his shoulder towards her.

Judy quirked an eyebrow at him as she caught and unfolded it, "You could have just come in and handed it to me, you big kid!"

 _I can barely walk. And my legs are just fine._

"Oh, it says here I can have an assisted sponge bath, though!"

 _Nope, I was wrong. My legs are now jelly._

"Oh, whaddya know," he mumbled.

Judy stretched her arms up over her head, oblivious.

"What time is it?"

"After eight," he replied with as much nonchalance as he could.

O _h right, I'm supposed to be the care-giver._

"So Miss Hopps, can I get you anything? Water? Stale pizza crusts? I know, the choice is overwhelming. I'll give you some time to decide," he said.

She giggled.

 _Cute. Stop being cute damn it, rabbit!_

He scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"I should go and get some groceries. I'll just check..." he grabbed his phone and typed for a few moments.

"Yep, there's a Trader Doe's only a block away," he opened a list app.

"So, what do you need?"

Judy fidgeted, "Actually, I'm itching to get out again. I can't stand being inactive!"

Nick rolled his eyes.

"Hey, you're supposed to be resting. As it is, I feel bad for dragging you all over Zootopia this morning," Nick said.

"Well, I was sitting in the car most of the time. All I've done is rest since we got here!" Judy said.

Nick had managed to calm himself, so he opened the door wider and walked over to her.

"How about we make a deal, then? You can come with to Trader Doe's-" he began.

"Yes!" she pumped her fist in the air.

 _Geez, Fluff, it's only groceries._

 _"-_ but on the condition that you have to use one of the Moo-bility scooters in there so you don't tear your stitches," he finished.

Judy wriggled, "Ugh, that's embarrassing!"

Nick shrugged and started to turn to leave, "Well, I guess I'll just have to go on my own-"

"No! I'll be bouncing off the walls! Literally!"

"You know what? I believe you. So, moo-for-you? Deal?" Nick said.

"…okay, deal. But I'm gonna walk there on my crutches," she said and grabbed them from beside her bed, "I mean, it's only a block away."

Nick was doubtful that was such a good idea, and said as much.

He eventually gave in when it became clear that she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Did she ever?

 _She is one stubborn bunny._

* * *

Judy made a noble effort on her crutches, but about half-way to the supermarket Nick could see she was starting to struggle.

"Carrots," he began.

"I'm fine! I think these crutches are just a little big for me. I'll get used to it!" she said, determined.

"…okay," but he wasn't convinced.

She couldn't quite balance on her good leg because the crutches were too high.

"Wah!"

Nick grabbed Judy just as she slipped and her crutches gave way underneath her.

"Phew, thanks Nick. It's okay, I'll try again-"

"While I applaud your enthusiasm, Carrots, I'm going to make an executive decision here. I'd really like to make it to Trader Doe's _sometime_ this century," Nick said.

 _Don't overthink this_ , he told himself as he hoisted her up and onto his shoulders, careful not to touch her injured leg.

"N-nick! What are you doing?!" Judy stammered.

"Just hold on, I gotta get your crutches," Nick said as he picked them up and tucked them under one arm.

"Nick, I don't need a piggy back!"

"You want to go back home?" Nick said.

"…no."

"Then be a good bunny and hush up. When we're done with the groceries, I'll call a Zuber. Man, they've gotten good business out of me today."

Nick kept his cool.

He could do this.

Even if he couldn't tell if his neck was hot from his blush or from… her.

Her scent.

Her legs pressing against his cheeks…

 _What did I tell myself about not overthinking it?_

 _Oh crap, not again! What a dumb idea okay control it dead kittens dead kittens dead kittens!_

 _Oh Nicholas Piberious Wilde, what have you gotten yourself into?_


	5. Hiding in Plain Scent

Judy went rigid when Nick lifted her onto his shoulders.

 _This is humiliating!_

"I'm not a kid, Nick! Put me down right _now_!"

"Trader Doe's closes at ten. Unless you want to split a pizza crust for dinner _and_ breakfast, we gotta hustle," Nick said.

Resigned, Judy shifted awkwardly, tightening her legs around Nick's neck to keep steady when he let out a strangled sound.

 _Oops, am I hurting him?_

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she relaxed her legs and instead rested her paws on his cheeks for balance.

"…I'm in hell," he muttered.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"Nothing, Carrots," Nick picked up his pace and Judy retightened her legs to steady herself as he started to run.

"Woah, Nick!"

"The sooner we get there, the better," Nick said between breaths.

"Oh, o-okay," Judy focused on keeping her balance. It was kind of exciting, like an adrenaline rush from a chase.

"Woooohoooo this is soooo fun!" Judy yelled.

Then her ears pricked up.

" _You_ show me the cash, first."

She saw two suspicious shadows down an alleyway.

"Wait Nick, stop," she said.

He looked up at her and followed her gaze.

He understood.

"…What should we do?"

"You can see better in the dark than me. They _are_ dealing, aren't they?"

Nick nodded.

Out of habit, Judy reached for her radio.

"Oh. Okay Nick, see how close you can get to take a photo without being seen so I can report it to the ZPD," she said.

She clenched her jaw, frustrated, "I can't do any more than that for now, but at least it's a good tip off for the DEA."

Nick gently put her down and got his phone out, pressing record when he was as close as he dared.

He sniffed the air and grimaced. He took a couple of photos and hurried back to Judy.

"It's coke, I can smell it," Nick said.

Judy opened her mouth to ask how he knew, but thought better of it.

She wished she had a better sense of smell, but even if she did, she wouldn't have been able to identify it.

 _Nick would make a good partner._

"Okay, let's get away from them so I can call the ZPD," Judy said.

He scooped her up and placed her back on his shoulders.

The sound of the crutches scraping the pavement as he picked them up alerted the suspects to their presence.

"Hey! You two! You snitching?!"

Judy held on tightly to Nick's neck.

"Run!"

Nick needed no convincing and sprinted up the street.

"In there!" Judy pointed to a playground.

" _Wher_ e in there?!" Nick hissed.

"That tube slide!"

Nick ran over to it and pushed Judy's crutches in before bundling her into the tube and going in after her.

They didn't dare breathe. The two rams they had caught out were catching up- they could hear their hoofsteps.

"Where you hidin', snitches?!" one ram yelled from the other side of the street.

"Forget it, what they gonna do? They ain't cops," the other said.

Judy smirked.

"C'mon, we'll finish this up someplace else."

They waited for the hoof steps to fade out of hearing range.

Nick pulled out his phone.

He checked with the camera around the corners that the rams had indeed gone.

"All clear," Nick whispered, sagging with relief.

Judy became aware of Nick's other paw wrapped around her waist.

Nick realised himself an instant later and snatched his paw away as if he'd been burned.

Judy's heart was in her throat - where his paw had been tingled.

 _Did Nick always smell this good…?_

"O-kaay," Nick leapt out of the tube before tripping himself up on Judy's crutches.

Judy tried not to giggle, but the tension got the better of her.

She covered her mouth with her paw.

Nick scowled at her.

"Don't you have a phone call to make, Hopps?"

"Oh, that's right," she grabbed her phone out and dialled Clawhauser's direct line.

" _ZPD, Clawhauser speaking,"_ said the cheetah.

"Hi Clawhauser, it's Hopps," Judy said.

 _"Oh! Hi?"_ He paused, " _it's great to hear from you and all, but this isn't a personal line…"_

"No, it's work related. I'm reporting a drug deal for the DEA," she said.

 _"…aren't you still supposed to be in hospital?" Clawhauser asked._

"No, I got out this morning," Judy said.

 _Wow, was that only this morning?_

It had been a long day.

"Besides, I have Nick with me. We just saw the deal go down on our way to the supermarket."

Nick's scowl deepened.

 _What did I say now?!_

 _"Ooh, you mean that fox!"_ Clawhauser continued, _"...rrriiight! Teehee! Okay, give me the deets and I'll pass them on to the DEA,"_ he said.

Judy explained what they saw and had Nick email the vids and pics to Clawhauser.

 _"Got it. Now you go and rest, silly bunny!"_

"Can't promise anything. Hopps out."

Nick raised an eyebrow.

"It's a radio habit. You'll pick it up too, once you're on the force!" she said with a grin.

Nick sighed. "But first, alas, groceries. Come and get back on your faithful pack mule," Nick gestured to his back with a grumble.

Judy climbed up on his shoulders once more.

"To the supermarket! Giddyap!" she grabbed onto the sides of his face.

"…Neigh."

"You know you love it! Hehe, your cheeks are so soft!" Judy teased, pinching them.

"Arrrgh!" Nick sped up and the buildings blurred past them.

"Woah Nick! You're gonna ace the academy training!"

* * *

"Thank God. We're here. Off you get," Nick knelt down, breathless.

"Sheesh," Judy slipped down to the ground, taking the crutches Nick shoved at her.

"Don't get grumpy with me, it wasn't _my_ idea," she said.

Nick stomped over to the drinking fountain outside the supermarket entrance and splashed his face.

Judy hobbled over to him on her crutches.

"Are you okay..?" she put her paw on his back.

Nick took a deep breath.

"Honestly? Not really. But never mind. To the groceries. Huzzah."

He went through the automatic doors, staying put until Judy had entered.

Nick jabbed a thumb at a moo-bility cart.

"Your chariot awaits," he said, forcing a halfhearted grin.

Judy cringed.

"Um, okay," her ears drooped and she sat down in the scooter, lifting her crutches up and into the cart compartment in front.

She put her foot on the accelerator.

"Wow," she brightened, "this might be faster than the meter-maid car!"

"Carrots, most geriatric mammals are faster than that joke-mobile," Nick said.

"Hehe, yeah, I think you're right," Judy gave him a hesitant smile.

She watched his ears slide back.

Judy wilted.

"Nick, what did I do wrong? You can tell me," Judy slowed the scooter to a stop.

Nick sighed.

"You didn't do anything, Carrots. I'm sorry, 'kay?" he gave a more convincing smile, and Judy grinned back.

"Okay… well cheer up, 'coz this is gonna be fun! Oh, shampoo, we're gonna need some of that," Judy grabbed a bottle and opened it, inhaling the scent.

"Mm, this one smells good! And I'll need a loofah," Judy popped them in the cart and looked up to Nick.

"Want me to grab a loofah for you too? Or do you wanna _share?"_ she joked, only to be greeted with Nick's 'I'm being threatened with tax evasion' face.

"…Nick?"

He cleared his throat and picked up a couple of toothbrushes from a shelf to inspect.

"What color do you want?" he said, holding them out to her.

"How about we match them with the bed sheets? Green for you, purple for me?" Judy suggested.

"Alrighty," he tossed them into the cart.

"In the interests of full disclosure, Carrots, I have no idea how to cook, so I'll need your help on that one," Nick said.

Judy gave him a sheepish grin.

"Well, funny you should say that…" she began.

Nick's incredulity won over –whatever was wrong before- and he gaped at her.

"You grew up on a farm and you can't cook?" he said, picking up a grooming kit from the shelf.

"Hey, I spent my time studying or working out so I could get into the academy!" she said, indignant.

She sped up the scooter.

"I'm not useless, Nick. I know how to clean. With a big family like mine, I couldn't opt out of everything. But as for cooking? I can… use a microwave?" she said.

"Then I must defer to your wisdom, oh wise master," Nick bowed.

Judy beamed.

 _There's the old Nick!_

"Okay then!" She thrust a pointed paw forward, "to the frozen section! Wooo hoo!"

"Jeez, Carrots, take it down a notch, will ya? We're conspicuous enough as it is!" Nick said.

Judy blinked.

"Huh? Why?"

"Have a look around, _detective,_ " Nick said.

Judy slowed the scooter and looked.

There weren't many shoppers, but the ones near them were staring at them, whispering, or a combination of the two.

"Is there something on my face?" Judy whispered to Nick.

"Uh, no. Look, how often do you see a fox and a bunny together, let alone getting _groceries_?"

"…Oh."

Nick rolled his eyes.

"Aaaand the penny drops. Besides, looks like you're also famous to boot, Fluff," he said.

"Huh?"

"Here," Nick pulled a newspaper from a rack nearby and handed it to her.

She put her foot on the scooter brake, eyes wide.

There was a giant picture of her in uniform on the front page, under the heading:

 **Hero Hopps saves Zootopia!**

She read through it.

Praise for her, condemnation for both Bellwhether and Lionheart, new mayor candidates, election dates, etc. She re-read it.

There was no mention of Nick.

At all.

"I'm sorry, Nick," Judy said. "I understand why you're upset now. You deserve credit, too."

"No, that's-" Nick began, then he turned away from her, feigning interest in a magazine.

"Oh yeah, well, it's no big deal," he said.

"No Nick, it _is_ a big deal, and I'm gonna make sure that people know that we did this together!"

She took her phone out of her pocket and took a photo of the journalist's name, "I'll need to file an official report with those details anyway."

Judy gave him a determined smile, "I'll fix this, Nick. So you don't have to be mad anymore, and we can enjoy being roomies. I'll make sure the next photo in the paper is of the both of us!" she put her fist out for him to bump.

"You're gonna give me diabetes, Fluff," he mumbled as his returned the bump.

Judy wasn't listening, she had turned to the people staring.

 _Yeah, that's right. My best friend is a fox. You'll just have to get used to it._

She beamed back at Nick, "I'm really lucky to have you as a friend!" she said, smiling.

"Oh… yeah, me too," he said quietly.

"Gee, I couldn't tell, you sound so _happy_ about it," Judy said, his mood swings starting to get on her nerves.

 _Cut him a break, it's been an enormous day for him and he's helping you out,_ she reminded herself.

"Oh look Fluff, here's something you might like," Nick walked over to a freezer and pulled out a box. "'Carrots for one'?"

Judy made a face. "Ugh, pass!"

* * *

It had been fun, getting the groceries with someone else, and not having to budget – Nick had brought plenty of cash with him, so each time she would grab a product excitedly, he'd say, "Go ahead."

Judy thought it was a really good way to get to know someone, by what they chose to put in the cart.

Nick got deodorant, boxers (which he had hidden under a box of Lucky Chomps, so she pretended she hadn't noticed), and a set of grooming brushes.

It was the food that surprised her, it seemed as though he had bought one of everything!

She was surprised he didn't buy anything blueberry related, though.

"I hope all this fits in the pantry," she said.

"Well if it doesn't, we'll just have to eat it. Damn shame," Nick said.

"No blueberries?" Judy asked innocently.

He just shrugged and said he was totally into strawberries now.

Judy took the comment at face value.

* * *

"I still don't understand why you get so excited about groceries," Nick said as they waited outside for the Zuber, phone in paw.

"I mean, you lived on your own for months, right? Wouldn't you be sick of it by now?" he said.

He seemed to be back to his regular self.

"Well, I ate a lot at the precinct cafeteria. But it was much more fun tonight! It's because I have a roomie now!" she smiled.

He chuckled, "I think you're just easy to please, Hopps."

Judy frowned.

"…I'm not saying I mind, though," Nick looked up from his phone and gave her one of those genuine smiles that made her want to hug him.

So she did.

"I love it when you smile like that, Nick. It's the _real_ you!" She gave him a squeeze.

"Nick?"

"…Niiiick, hell-oooo?"

"Oh look, there's our ride!" Nick blurted and disentangled himself from her and grabbed as many bags as he could.

"Need a hand, pal?" The driver, a gray wolf, rolled down the car window.

"We're good, thanks!" Nick shoved the bags in the trunk.

"Judy, come and get off that leg," he held his arm out and she leaned on it to ease herself into the back seat.

"Be right back, I'll return the scooter," Nick said.

When Nick was out of earshot, the wolf grinned at Judy in the rear-vision mirror.

"Ah, young love."

Judy looked in the mirror, baffled.

"So how long you two lovebirds been together?" he asked.

Her face went hot.

"Oh no, you misunderstand. We're not dating," she said.

The wolf raised an eyebrow, and looked back out the window at Nick, who was re-entering the supermarket with the scooter.

"Ah. I forget sometimes. You bunnies can't smell as good as we can," he said.

"W-what does that have to do with anything?" Judy asked.

The wolf sighed, "…you _do_ realise that fox has the hots for you, right?"

Judy's mouth went dry, before a warm tingle rushed up through her spine.

"Mutual, then? You dum dums," the wolf said, shaking his head.

"Y-you can't know that!" she stuttered.

"I can smell it. Clear as day," he said.

Judy's mouth dropped open, recalling what Mrs Wilde said,

 _"My nose isn't blind, Nick. You've found your mark, haven't you?"_

Judy chanced a quick look outside - Nick hadn't exited yet.

Determined, she asked the wolf, "-Does 'found your mark' have something to do with… this?"

The wolf nodded, "It's slang for when a wolf – or fox, I suppose- imprints on a mate."

Judy's paws covered her mouth.

The wolf chuckled.

"Sorry, I've gone and put my big fat paw in it. Wasn't my place. It just seemed so obvious to me. I was _sure_ you two were a couple," he said.

"Just from what you smelled on Nick?" Judy whispered.

The wolf shook his head and made a pistol with his finger, pointing at her, "you too, Cottontail."

Judy opened her mouth to protest, but words failed her.

How could another mammal be aware of something she didn't even know about herself?

She nearly hit her head on the roof of the car when Nick suddenly opened the door.

"Lowland Drive, thanks buddy," he said to the driver as he fastened his seat belt.

"No problem," the driver said with a smirk before pulling out of the parking lot.

Nick looked at Judy, who still had her paws over her mouth.

"What's wrong with y-" he sniffed.

It wasn't as obvious as when her own nose twitched, and ten minutes ago, she wouldn't have even thought to notice it.

But now? She was super aware of it.

She couldn't hide it.

He knew.

The expression on Nick's face as the realization dawned on him made her stomach flutter.

The only other time she had seen it was when she had given him the ZPD application form and the carrot pen.

Disbelief. Wonder. Hope.


	6. Forced to Choose

Judy had her eyes locked on Nick's.

She took her paw from her mouth and slowly, shyly, crept it over towards Nick's paw, when-

 _Rrrrriiiing!_

Nick gave Judy an apologetic smile and answered his phone.

 _"Who is this?! Where's my daughter?! Did you steal my truck?!"_

"…Mr Hopps, I presume?" Nick asked.

 _"Where's Judy?!"_

Nick looked over to Judy, covering the mouthpiece.

"How the hell did your Dad get my number?! Where's _your_ phone?" he hissed.

Judy squirmed in her seat, "Oh, the battery's dead."

"I'm sure it will be great company for me in the afterlife, I'm headed there soon. Here, talk to your old man!" he thrust the phone at Judy.

"Uh, hi… Dad?" Judy said.

 _"Judith?! Oh thank God! Are you being held hostage?"_ Stu said.

Judy rolled her eyes. "No Dad, look," she turned the camera on.

"See, I'm right here, I'm fine!"

Bonnie's face joined Stu's on the phone, _"We saw on the news that you were in hospital! Oh sweetie, why didn't you tell us?!"_

Judy's ears drooped, "I uh, didn't want to worry you guys?"

" _Good job on that one, Judith! Your mother and I have been worried sick!"_ her Dad said.

 _"We called the ZPD, who gave us the number to the hospital, who then needed a digital copy of your damn birth certificate from us before they would give us this_

 _number for your 'emergency contact,' which should have been US!"_

Judy cringed, "You rang the ZPD? _Guys!_ "

 _"Then I get a call saying my truck has been impounded from being parked Downtown for two days!"_ Stu paused, squinting into the phone.

 _"So who's this_ 'emergency contact?'"

"Oh, Dad, Mom - this is my friend, Nick," Judy turned the phone towards him.

Nick gulped, "Hey there, Judy's furious parents, I'm Nicholas Wilde."

Stu's face fell.

"... _Wilde? Don't tell me… your mom is Vivienne?"_

Nick was surprised, "Yeah, that's her. How'd you know her name?" he asked.

 _"N-never you mind! Judith, we are coming right_ now _to bring you back home. We'll take the train and drive the truck back,"_ he said.

"Dad, that's not necessary. Nick," she glanced at him, "he's taking care of me."

 _"Has he_ touched _you?"_ Stu gasped.

Bonnie looked as confused as her daughter, _"Stu, what is wrong with you?"_

 _"It doesn't matter! Judy, where are you?"_ Stu demanded.

"I'll be at Nick's. He's my roommate, Dad. So you don't have to worry, you don't have to come here."

 _"Oh dear God! What's the address? You are coming home young lady! And you can forget about being a cop!"_

Judy's mouth went dry.

"…what?" she whispered.

 _"I forbid it! And I forbid you to see that fox again! I was right the first time - why didn't you use that fox repellent I got you?!"_ Stu fumed.

Judy was speechless.

She looked at Nick and winced at the look of sheer horror on his face.

"I'm a grown mammal, Dad," she said, "I will always be a cop and Nick... he's important to me."

Stu's face hardened. _"More important than me?"_

"More important than your _bigotry_ ," Judy said, trying to keep her tone civil.

 _"Judy!"_ Stu said, _"You shouldn't be anywhere near him! He's a fox from Zootopia!_ _He could have the vulpine immunodeficiency virus!"_

"DAD!" Judy said, appalled. "I have met _Mrs Wilde_ and neither of them have the MAMMAL immunodeficiency virus."

 _"How do you know that?"_ Stu asked.

"Nick told me. They were both tested," she said.

 _"And you believed a_ fox _?!"_ Stu said, incredulous.

"I thought you had changed, Dad!" Judy cried, "I'm staying with Nick. There is nothing you can do to stop me."

 _"I'm warning you, I will_ never _speak to you again, Judith!"_ Stu said.

"Fine. Just remember, you're the one forcing me choose, and," she looked at Nick, certain.

"- I choose Nick. Goodbye, Dad."

Judy hung up.

Nick's heart was going to give out, he was sure of it.

The wolf driver coughed politely, "…We're here,"

The car had pulled up outside the cottage.

The wolf put the handbrake on, "Let me give you a hand guys," and he took a few bags out of the trunk.

"T-thanks buddy," Nick said, fumbling with the key at the door.

He set down bags in the kitchen, and the wolf did the same without prompting.

Judy managed to hop up onto the deck and into the house on her own.

Nick paid the driver, who gave him a gentle pat on the back.

"I get it," he said.

"My Mrs is a hyena. We were treated – hell, still are – like shit for being different. I guess that's why I was rooting for you two to be a couple, but I shouldn't have stuck

my snout in it," he handed his card and a coupon to Nick.

"Next ride's on me. Good luck," he said.

"…Thanks," Nick said with a half-smile as he closed the door behind him.

* * *

Silence.

"…Hey Carrots, what do you want to eat?" Nick asked, forcing cheer into his voice.

"Oh um, that vegetable stir fry, please," Judy said quietly.

"Sure," he pulled the frozen package from one of the grocery bags and popped it in the microwave.

"Three minutes should do it," Judy said when Nick hesitated at the button panel.

He punched it in and hit 'start'.

"I'll just put the groceries away," Nick mumbled.

"O-okay," Judy sat herself down on the couch.

Nick passed Judy her meal, sitting his own on his lap.

They ate in silence for a while, until Judy stretched out her leg, wincing.

"Sore?" Nick asked.

"…It hurts more than ever," Judy said.

Nick put his food down beside him. "You want some pain meds?" he asked.

"Yeah, I was trying to tough it out, but," Judy's eyes filled with tears, "I can't deal with the pain after, after what Dad said…"

Nick nodded.

"It's okay…are the meds in your bag? I'll go and get them for you," he rose from the couch.

"Thanks," Judy said when returned with the tablets and a bottle of water.

"These won't make you loopy, but they will make you tired. It's getting late anyway."

He let the mask off, just a little.

"…things… will be better in the morning, after a good sleep," Nick said softly.

Judy nodded, grateful.

"…You're right, I think I'm just gonna have a quick wash and go to bed."

"'Kay. All your bathroom stuff is in there." Nick said, walking to his room.

"Not going to 'assist' with my sponge bath?" Judy joked.

Nick turned around, grinning lopsidedly.

"If you are genuinely at risk of drowning in an inch of water, then call. But I think you can handle it. You can trust me, I'm a gentle-mammal," he said.

"Pfft, yeah right!" Judy smirked.

"You'd be surprised at my self-restraint," he mumbled.

"I heard that!"

"…Damn your superior hearing," he said.

"…Damn your sense of smell," she replied.

They smiled shyly at each other for a moment, until Nick cleared his throat.

"Anyway! I'll wait until you're done and then we'll put a fresh bandage on." he said, closing his door behind him.

* * *

Judy brushed her fur, feeling much better after a wash.

She had tried to re-bandage her leg herself afterward, but it was either too loose or too tight.

Defeated, she opened the bathroom door.

"Nick? I need a hand with my bandages…"

"Sure," Nick shook his head at the sight of the sagging bandage.

"Woulda thought you'd do better, knowing first aid as a cop," he remarked.

"On someone else, sure, but it's at an awkward angle to try to do it myself," Judy said.

Nick knelt down and re-wrapped the dressing.

Judy tried not to blush.

"…You bought that top tonight?" Nick asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah. It's a little big, because I couldn't try it on and all."

"…blue suits you. How's this, Carrots?"

"M-much better, thanks," Judy said, not quite knowing how to take the compliment.

"Good. I'm hitting the hay. Call out if you need anything. 'Night," Nick said.

Judy hopped down the hall on her good leg, leaning a paw on the wall (those damn crutches were more trouble than they were worth) to her room.

She really did feel drowsy now, and couldn't wait to get to sleep. She snuggled under the blanket and felt herself slipping into sleep seconds after her head hit the pillow.

She dreamed.

* * *

 _She was back on Nick's shoulders, running to the supermarket._

 _The rush was spreading. It felt warm, thrilling, like a chase…_

 _No, no it wasn't like that at all! It was-_

 _"Nick, let me DOWN!" she yelled._

 _"We're nearly there, just hang on!" Nick replied._

 _"I'm getting off! LITERALLY! LET ME DOOOWN!" she shouted._

 _"Oh!" Nick stopped so fast he nearly gave them both whiplash._

 _They stayed silent for what seemed like an eternity, both panting._

 _Judy looked around, thankfully no one was around this time of night._

 _"Nick. I. Am. Mortified! Please, put me down now!" she begged._

 _Nick finally knelt down and Judy leaped off._

 _She kept her back to him as she whispered, "…that's why I need the pills, to stop this from happening!"_

 _"Why… stop it?"_

 _She turned and met his gaze, his eyes darkest green, pupils dilated._

 _Her heart beat just a little faster._

 _"It's a natural urge, Judy. Why not… just let it happen?"_

 _Judy blushed even harder, "I don't like feeling out of control…"_

 _"Me neither. But here we are."_

 _"…'We?'" Judy asked._

 _Nick shook his head, "You really_ are _a dumb bunny," he said._

 _He grabbed her by the waist with both paws and brought her face up close to his._

 _"Tell me how this feels," he whispered, and slowly brushed his cheek against hers._

 _Judy gasped._

 _Nick… he's nuzzling me!_

 _Judy felt lightheaded and her legs went to water._

 _Nick put an arm underneath to support her weight, and she gasped again at the touch._

 _"Tell me," his voice rough as he brushed his other cheek to Judy's._

 _It was like electricity!_

 _"It feels… amazing."_

 _"Why stop, then?" Nick brushed past her cheek once more and gave a soft moan of pleasure._

 _He stopped and pulled back, expectantly._

 _"…can I try?"_

 _"…please do," Nick murmured._

 _Hesitant, Judy leaned in, hearing Nick's breath hitch. She gently pressed her cheek to his._

 _"Like, this?"_

 _"Y-yeah…"_

 _Emboldened, Judy nuzzled him again, harder, thrilled at the sensation of his warm breath tickling her ear._

 _"Judy..."_

 _"Nick," she pulled back and looked deep into his eyes._

 _"…can I try something?"_

 _"Right now?" Nick breathed, "- you could set me on fire, for all I care."_

 _She giggled, and put both of her paws gently on his cheeks, eliciting a sigh of pleasure from Nick._

 _Trembling, she leaned in and softly touched her lips to his._

 _Her mind went blank._

 _Nick kept one paw underneath her and stroked her face with the other, sliding it behind her head to bring her closer to him._

 _They parted, gasping for breath, before Judy kissed him again, wrapping her paws around his neck._

 _This time Nick pulled away, to Judy's disappointment, which faded at once as he nuzzled her again._

 _She nuzzled back. The resistance against each other felt amazing. Judy didn't think it could get any better until Nick's other paw cupped her behind._

 _"Nick," she panted, "We're in public!"_

 _"I don't care," he growled into her fur._

 _"We aren't even… the same species…"_

"I don't care," he moved his paws up to her waist and pulled her tightly against him.

 _"Oh!" She moaned at the sudden friction._

 _"Nick!"_

* * *

"What is it?! Carrots, are you okay? What's wrong?" Nick opened her bedroom door, panicked.

Judy rubbed her eyes.

"…Nick? What are you doing in here?"

"…uh, _you_ just called for me?" he said, his panic turning to mild irritation.

"Oh, I must have said it in my sleep..." Judy mumbled, blush creeping up her ears as she remembered the dream.

Nick brushed a paw tiredly over his eyes.

"Sheesh, you frightened the crap outta me! You yelled my name out like-"

Judy caught sight of his nose twitching before he hurried out of the room.

"-never mind gonna go back to bed 'night!"

 _Slam._

Judy put her head under her pillow, flushed with shame.

 _Damn him and his sense of smell!_

How were they supposed to deal with this?

 _Maybe I should just take the suppression medication again…_

 _Okay, I need to take my mind off it._

 _'A, b, c, d,'_ she tapped lightly in Morse code on the wall.

 _'e, f, g, h,'_ came the reply through the wall.

Judy smiled.

 _'b-o-y-s-c-o-u-t'_ she replied.

 _'d-u-h.'_

 _'n-i-t-e n-i-c-k.'_

 _'n-i-t-e c-a…j-u-d-y.'_


	7. You Don't Just Touch a Fox's Tail!

Light flickered through the gap in the curtain.

Nick covered his eyes with the pillow.

 _Just a little longer in the dream, just five more minutes._

 _ _Oh.__

It wasn't a dream.

Nick pushed down the cynicism building in his mind, and hit replay.

 _"…_ _ _I choose Nick..."__

He felt his heart race with euphoria.

 _Of all times to have left that carrot recorder pen at home!_

 _"…_ _ _I choose Nick..."__

He could be hit by a bus right now and die a happy mammal.

 _"_ _ _Oh, Nick!"__ she had screamed out in her sleep.

 _ _Oh. There was that too.__

 _ _Was it hot in here?__

 _ _No? Just him?__

He grabbed his phone off the floor.

Eight a.m.

 _ _Better go and check on her.__

Nick smiled. He felt hopeful, though his brain was screaming at him to remember the last time that happened.

 _ _I don't want to think about that. Go away, logic.__

He opened her door a little ways and stuck his head through.

She was still fast asleep.

He caught himself inhaling deeply.

She smelled so good. It was intoxicating.

 _ _Get out already, creep,__ he told himself, __you're going crazy.__

That ship has sailed.

 _ _You're right. Go huff that bunny.__

…maybe just a little.

His eyes softened at the sight of her.

 _… _seriously, man. What if she wakes up? Go take a cold shower.__

 _ _I hate you.__

He reluctantly closed the door behind him and headed into the bathroom.

 _ _My own shower.__

He was still getting his head around the fact that this place was his.

And hers.

Well, to him at least.

In his head.

…in his dreams.

 _ _Or not?__

He sighed, wondering when, if ever, he would let himself have a hot shower.

* * *

Shivering and wet, Nick took a hesitant step onto the air dryer tile.

 _ _Oooh I always wanted to use one of these!__

 _ _Vroooooom!__

 _ _Weeeeeeeeeeee!__

 _ _Okay, that was worth the cold shower!__

He bent over and opened his mouth, the warm air billowing through his gums.

 _ _What are you, two years old?__

Yep.

Fully dried, he walked over to the sink and grabbed his new grooming set. He glanced at the mirror, doing a double take.

He laughed.

He looked like an orange pom pom.

 _ _You're gonna wake her up!__ He chided himself.

He tried to stop, he really did.

It only made it funnier!

He looked three times bigger.

He grinned evilly and put his pants on.

* * *

Judy rolled onto her injured leg, and the pain woke her.

 _ _Ow.__

She groggily rubbed her eyes.

Her nose twitched. She wasn't alone.

"…Da-dum," Nick's tail popped up from under the bed.

"N-nick?"

"…I am the great shark, Puffy-Pants! Da-dum, da-dum, RAWR!" Nick emerged.

Judy started laughing hysterically.

"Oh my gosh, Nick, what have you done to yourself?!"

"I have gained the powers of the puffy realm. Fear me!"

Judy grabbed her sides, tears of laughter running down her cheeks.

"Too funny! You look like an orange porcupine!"

"I thought you'd get a giggle out of it," Nick grinned.

"How are you feeling today, Fluff?"

"I may have to rescind that __Nick-name__ _,_ " Judy smirked. "I think you are way fluffier!"

"Touché!"

She wiped her eyes, still chuckling, "I feel better- my leg only hurts if I touch it."

"How about some breakfast?"

"Yeah, maybe we could go out?" she asked.

"We do have groceries, Carrots."

"Well, I kinda feel like pancakes, and I don't want to set fire to the kitchen," she said.

"A valid point. Pancakes sound good. I saw a diner next to Trader Doe's, wanna try there?" he asked.

"Sure! Um, Nick," Judy began.

"Yeah?"

"…Are you going to be able to get yourself presentable?"

"Sure, I'll just comb it," Nick said.

Judy shook her head, "Did you even use the de-shedder before you showered?"

"The what-now?"

"Oh Nick, you look hilarious, but you are going to have _so_ much trouble with the knots!"

Nick tried to smooth his fur down, but his claws got caught in it.

"Ow!"

"…Never used a floor dryer before, huh?"

Nick scowled at her. "What do __you__ think?!"

Judy giggled. "Bring your grooming kit in here, I'll help you."

"Oh uh, you don't have to-"

"I have hundreds of siblings. I'm good at this, trust me," she said.

"O-okay."

Nick returned with the set.

He wrapped his arms around his chest, suddenly self-conscious.

"Hey, you're the one who came in here with no shirt! Sit here," Judy motioned with a paw to the edge of the bed.

"Oh my goodness, Nick, your fur is __so__ tangled!"

"So I'm supposed to brush first?" Nick said.

"With fur like yours, yeah!" Judy grabbed the de-shedding brush. "I'm sorry, this bit may be uncomfortable, but that will be the worst part out of the way."

She started at his shoulders.

"…your fur is really soft," she said after a while.

"T-thank you."

Balls of orange fur gathered on the floor.

"…Carrots, I'd like to have __some__ fur left after you're done."

Judy chuckled, "You will, don't worry. Does it hurt?"

"No, actually it's like a good scratch," Nick said.

She brushed down his back, "Okay, now lift your arms up."

"-kay."

Judy started to comb under his arms.

"Woah!"

"Nick," Judy said, "-you wouldn't happen to be __ticklish__ there, would you?"

"…I have the right to remain silent, officer."

Judy grinned mischievously, "Suspect resisting arrest, use of force required!"

She dropped the brush and tickled Nick mercilessly.

"Stop! Carrots, stop!" Nick blurted between peals of laughter, "Police brutality!" he lay back on the bed and tried to bring his arms down so Judy couldn't reach.

Judy's paws got clamped under his arms.

"I see, so we're gonna have to do things the hard way, huh?" she wiggled her eyebrows before tickling his neck.

"I know all the weak points, Nick! I saw every tickle attack as a kid as just training for the force!" she joked.

"Ss-stop…"

"Oh, you'll have to ask more nicely than that!"

Nick grabbed her wrists with his paws.

"P-please stop."

Judy looked confused, then her nose twitched.

She'd meant it innocently, but now she felt hot as she could smell him responding.

She realized she was sitting on his chest.

"Oh! Oh, I'm s-sorry Nick!"

She got off him and he sat back up.

"…Maybe I'll do the rest myself," Nick said.

"Oh. Can I at least brush your tail? You're not gonna be able to reach all of it yourself."

Nick sighed, defeated. "…okay."

Judy picked up the brush and ran it gently over his fur.

When she was done, she grabbed the paddle brush and ran it through.

"That feels better than the de-shedder," Nick commented.

"Yeah, I prefer this too," Judy ran her paws through afterward, checking for knots, "-okay, all done."

"Thanks, Carrots."

"Your tail is really beautiful, by the way," she said.

"Er, thanks?" Nick quickly grabbed the brushes and shoved them back in the bag they came in.

"Is that like 'a bunny can call another bunny cute', kind of thing?" Judy asked.

Nick's ears slid sideways. "Uh, well y-you could say that we foxes don't let just anyone touch our tails, 'kay? Thanks for helping."

* * *

If it wouldn't take so long to de-tangle all over again, Nick would have had another cold shower.

The whole experience was totally different from when his mom would brush him as a kid – he hated it, squirmed and wriggled for every second.

But as an adult…

How could he want the intimacy so much, yet be so terrified of it?

* * *

"Mm, I'm famished!" Judy sat herself down in the booth at the diner.

"I'm still full from last night," Nick said.

Judy rubbed the back of her neck, "Well, I guess I have a big appetite."

"Nothing wrong with that, I was just used to eating once a day."

Judy looked through the menu, "-so, you're not having anything?"

"Oh, I'll be having coffee for sure," he said.

A waitress came over to them, "Are you ready to order?" the goat asked.

"I'll just have coffee," Nick said.

"I'll have the blueberry pancakes, please!" Judy noticed Nick flinch, "-oh and a glass of orange juice, please," she said.

"Yep," the waitress finished the order on her notepad.

"Thanks!" Judy smiled at her.

The goat did a double take, "Hey, you're the officer who solved the night howler case, right?"

"Uh, yeah, but Nick," Judy gestured to him with a paw, "I couldn't have don't it without him!"

"…a fox officer?"

 _ _Ah discrimination, there you are!__ Nick gave her a tight smile.

"I'm an applicant," he said.

"…oh, good for you," the waitress said, but Nick sensed she meant everything but.

"I suppose I should thank you, for bringing Bellwether to justice," the goat said pointedly.

Judy looked at Nick, confused.

Nick understood perfectly.

"Ah, would I be correct in assuming that you had…ties, with Bellwether?"

"You can assume what you like."

Judy noticed that the goat had the same bell charm as Bellwether on her necklace.

She looked at Nick, who nodded in understanding.

"Seeing as though you're not eager for a tip, we'll just go elsewhere," he said.

"I think that would be best," the goat said curtly.

"Come on, Hopps," Nick held an arm out for her, "Good thing I asked for the Zuber guy to wait."

"…You suspected this would happen?" Judy asked.

"Did you notice the bell?"

"…Yeah," Judy said.

"I get the feeling we have only cut one of the hydra's heads," Nick muttered.

"I think you may be right," Judy's ears drooped.

"I'm sorry about breakfast, Carrots, but I prefer my coffee without spit in it," he said.

Judy looked him, aghast, "…that hasn't actually happened to you, has it?"

Nick opened the Zuber car door, "Oh, to be young and naïve."

Judy bristled as she sat down, "I like to think I'm an optimist, that people are better than that."

Nick sighed, "The way things should be, and the way they really are, aren't always the same, no matter how much we want to believe it."

Judy couldn't argue with that.

"Nick, if you knew we'd probably get treated like that, why go in there in the first place?"

Nick shrugged.

"Because your optimism is contagious. I took a shot, I was wrong."

The wolf driver from the night before gave Nick a knowing look.

"Life's a bitch, huh?" he said, "Don't worry, I know a place I think you'll like more."

* * *

The car pulled up outside of an alleyway, "I'll wait for you guys. Take your time, no charge."

"Thanks buddy," Nick closed the door behind him and they looked down the alleyway in front of them.

"Just down there and to the right, your nose can't miss it," the driver called out behind them.

Judy wrapped her arm around Nick's waist to support herself.

She was sick of the crutches, and this was easier, even if Nick flinched every time she touched him.

 _ _Am I that repulsive?__

She felt confused.

 _ _Maybe that driver didn't know what he was talking about?__

"Mm, that does smell good," Nick said.

They approached a wooden sign with _"The Den"_ scrawled on it, with stairs leading down.

"Ah, your arch nemesis, stairs," Nick joked and scooped her up into his arms before Judy could protest.

"Hey-!"

"I need coffee. Preferably while I'm young."

Judy rolled her eyes but let him carry her down the stairs.

It did smell really good. The scents of fresh bread, vanilla coffee and syrup soaked fruits made her mouth water.

Judy blinked.

It was not what she was expecting of a place in an alleyway called 'The Den' to be.

It was a cosy little café.

Softly lit, with a white wolf playing jazz on a beat-up piano.

Judy loved it.

Nick smiled at the expression of wonder on her face.

"Let's get a seat," he put her down on one of the chairs – made for larger animals than her.

A hyena bustled up to them.

"Hi guys!" She turned to Judy. "Would you like me to get a higher seat?"

"Oh, you don't have to-" Judy started.

"It's no trouble," the hyena smiled. "I'll be right back! You'll be much more comfortable!"

Nick was looking at the display cabinet.

"These pies look good," he said.

"They taste even better!" The hyena returned with the chair suited for Judy, "They're made in Bunnyburrow!"

"Thank you," Judy clambered into the new chair, now at the right level with the table.

"Oh, those pies, are they made by Gideon Gray?" she asked the waitress.

"Sure are! You know him?"

"Y-yeah, Bunnyburrow is a small place," Judy said.

"Ooh so you would have already tasted his baking?"

"N-no actually, I haven't had the chance," Judy said.

"Well then, you're in for a treat! I highly recommend the blueberry pie!"

"Then I'll have a slice of that, please!" Judy said.

"And you, sir?"

 _ _Sir?__

Nick could count on one paw the times he'd been referred to that politely.

"Just coffee for me."

The hyena chuckled, "I'm a barista, so you're going to have to be a bit more specific!"

"Oh uh, a cappuccino? One sugar, please," Nick said.

"We're known for our vanilla infused blend, would you like to try that?"

"Sounds good to me," he replied.

"Okay! Order coming right up!" the hyena bounced back to behind the counter.

Judy beamed, "This is so awesome!"

"Appearances can be deceiving, huh? Nick smiled.

"Here you go, guys! Enjoy!"

 _ _That was quick!__

"Oooh, goody!" Judy's tail wiggled excitedly.

Nick covered his mouth with one paw and pointed at her tail with the other. "Are. You. Serious?!"

"What?" Judy asked.

"Your tail! That is the cutes- I mean, um…"

Judy's ears flopped down. "Oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing!"

"I've never seen you do that before!" Nick said, trying not to laugh.

"And why do you think that is?! I knew I had enough trouble being taken seriously as a cop for just being a bunny! I thought I'd gotten out of the habit," she groaned.

"Don't be embarrassed, it's really cu- sweet," he said, smiling at her.

Judy blushed and jabbed her fork into the pie.

"…Yum! Oh Nick, you gotta try this!" she scooped some pie onto the fork and held it out to him.

"I uh, I'm not-"

"Oh hush and just try it! Say ah…"

"Ugh?!" Nick nearly choked as Judy shoved the food into his mouth.

 _ _Yep. I'm gonna die. This is it for me.__

The pie was amazing, no doubt about it.

But all Nick could think about was how it tasted like her.

She had just used the fork.

The blueberries.

The kiss at the hospital.

"It's good, right?" Judy dug into her meal, unaware.

"…mph."

"Gideon Gray," Judy said between mouthfuls, "-he's a top baker! He's a red fox, too."

Nick's ears did perk up at this. That was encouraging to hear.

"He's a good guy now, but um, when I was a kid, he used to bully me. So uh, that's kinda why I had the fox repellent," Judy said, shamefaced.

"Isn't that a bit of an over-reaction to a kid calling you names?" Nick asked.

"Well, it got physical…"

Nick paused mid sip in his coffee.

"What do you mean, 'physical?'" he asked.

Judy sighed and put down her fork.

"You probably can't see it," she leaned forward and brushed her fur on her cheek in the opposite direction.

But Nick did see. Jagged, raised scar tissue from claw marks.

"What the hell?!" he stood up, startling Judy.

"It – it doesn't hurt, anymore. Nick, it's okay, Gideon apologised only a few days ago when I was back home."

Nick's tail was bristling. "Did he do anything else to you?"

Judy shrugged. "Nothing as obvious as this. You know, the usual bully stuff."

"…like?" said Nick.

"I- I don't really wanna talk about it right now. It's in the past," she said.

"God, Judy…that asshole has a lot to answer for!" he seethed.

"But it helped me learn a lesson. He was a jerk because he was a jerk, not because he was a fox."

"...Even still, I guess I can understand why you had the fox repellent," Nick conceded.

"That was a compromise I should never have made," Judy poked her fork around her food, "Dad insisted. He actually wanted me to have a fox taser, among other

things," she looked up at Nick, who didn't hide his dismay.

"It still doesn't justify the things Dad said on the phone last night," she put down her fork and took his paw in hers.

"I-I'm so sorry, Nick. My dad was so horrible."

Nick fought the urge to yank his paw away, to put up the walls.

"You-" he began, "-you didn't have to… choose me, Judy."

"I know. Dad forced my paw, but I don't regret the decision. Not one bit," she gave his paw a gentle squeeze.

Nick exhaled. "There's been something I've wanted to say,"

"I'm listening," she said.

He finally pulled his paw away.

He had to do this, to say the right thing, even if he couldn't meet her gaze.

"…Family is so important Judy. Please, don't make the same mistake I did because of your pride. I'm not worth it," he said.

"Don't you _dare_ say that!" the volume of Judy's voice startled him.

A few other mammals looked at them, but Judy was oblivious.

"…you __are__ worth it, more than you know. Nick, I… want us to be honest with each other, 'kay?" she said.

She took a deep breath.

He held his.

"Nick, I think… I like you,"

Nick waited for the 'but'.

'But just as a friend'?

'But just like a brother'?

"But," Judy continued,

 _… _and there it is.__

"I've… never been in a relationship, so I have no idea what to do. I don't know if what I'm feeling is just because I'm off the medication. But," she shyly grabbed back

one of his paws.

"…I want to try and find out, if you want to, that is... But I don't want to hurt you, or lose our friendship."

Nick blinked.

He was totally unprepared for this scenario.

"N-neither do I, Judy. That's why I've been acting… weird," he said.

"The Zuber driver," Judy said, "-he said you… might have feelings for me, that he could smell it. But I've never gotten a direct answer from you."

Nick swallowed.

"Nick, do you…?"


	8. Colors of the Clouds

"Nick, do you… have feelings for me?" Judy asked.

Nick swallowed.

 _Oh crap!_

Handing over his heart could be the end of him.

He couldn't say he had imprinted on her.

What if he ended up being just a fling to her?

A buddy…of sorts.

Could he deal with that?

 _No._

… _yes._

Would the pleasure be worth the pain?

 _Yes._

… _no._

"It's like blueberries!" he blurted, gesturing to her plate.

Judy gave him a curious look.

"-I lov- blueberries are my favorite food. But I've been avoiding them because I might not be able to cope if they were ever… unavailable."

"…like an addiction?" Judy asked.

"…yeah."

"Blueberries aren't drugs though, Nick. Life is better when you enjoy… them," Judy said, blushing.

"They might be a drug to me, though. Even if they aren't… for others," he said.

Judy got up and leaned across the table, pushing her plate aside.

"I'm not gonna quit, if that's what you're afraid of," she whispered, kissing him softly on the cheek.

Nick closed his eyes.

 _Ah, I'm in heaven-_

"WOOO-HOOO!"

Nick realized too late that they had an audience.

Their Zuber driver, his paw around the hyena's waist, howled. The other wolves in the café joined in.

Nick suppressed a groan.

 _Even heaven had idiots in it._

"It's about time!" the wolf yelped, bounding over and putting his arms around the two of them.

The hyena rolled her eyes. "Way to kill their mood, honey!"

"Oh! Sorry guys, I'm just so happy for you!" he said, tail wagging.

The hyena chuckled, "Forgive my husband, he's got all the subtlety of a sledgehammer."

The wolf smirked at her. "C'mon, you know you love me!"

"Yeah, I know," she nuzzled her cheek briefly to his.

 _Aw._

Any anger Nick had towards the wolf for the interruption dissipated when he saw this.

 _That's what I want._

"Interspecies couples are always welcome here, as you can see," the hyena said.

They looked around.

Nick hadn't noticed before, but the café was filled with couples - and they were giving him and Judy a knowing smile.

"I'm Maggie, by the way," the hyena said.

"Zander, you've met before. He's my husband. Well," Maggie's ears slid back, "-not technically speaking."

"Yeah," grunted Zander, "apparently, anyone can be anything in Zootopia, but you can't _be_ with _anyone_."

"…honey," Maggie whispered.

Nick sensed the tension. "The coffee was great, by the way!" he got his wallet out.

Maggie took the note. "I'll get you some change,"

"Keep it," he said.

"Seriously?! That's a big tip!"

Nick smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, guys!" Maggie beamed.

"So," Zander brightened at her smile, "-what do you two have planned for the day?"

Nick and Judy exchanged glances.

"Would you be up for a movie, Nick?" Judy said.

Nick smiled.

"Sure."

* * *

"Not much choice at midday, huh? So, Pocahontas or Les Micer-ables?" Judy said as they stood in the lobby, looking at the screening times.

Nick groaned, "Neither are my type of movie."

"Same here, but Pocahontas seems less depressing?" Judy said hopefully.

"I guess we should have checked out the times first," Nick muttered.

Judy smiled up at Nick. "Either way, it's just nice to spend time with you," she grabbed his paw and gave it a quick squeeze.

 _Really, Carrots?_

 _Did you have to do that right before I have to be a coherent mammal?!_

"T-two tickets for u-um that-"

"Two for Pocahontas, please," Judy finished, a smug smile on her face.

Nick gave her a dirty look but handed the money to the squirrel at the counter.

"Any snacks for today?"

"Ooh, can we share some popcorn?" Judy asked.

"Aren't you still full from breakfast?" Nick said.

"Nope! Oh, can I have a Polar Cola, too?" she said.

"…as the lady says," Nick said and handed over more notes.

"…here you go guys, enjoy the movie!"

They made their way to the small mammal aisle, watching their step as rodents scurried to get to the row in front.

"It's nice to share the same aisle," Judy said, "I mean, what if say, a giraffe and an armadillo were together on a date? They wouldn't be able to sit together,"

Nick chuckled, "I think that 'sitting' together would be at the bottom of their list of worries."

He grabbed a handful of popcorn and chewed thoughtfully. "How would they even-"

"NICK!"

"-I was gonna say hold paws," he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah right!" she said, her foot twitching.

"You wound me, rabbit! That is too cute by the way. Oops, I said the c-word,"

He widened his eyes in mock horror, "-or maybe there's a _worse_ c-word than cute?! Oh dear, you better tell me what it is, so I don't accidentally say it!"

Judy couldn't act cross anymore and burst out laughing.

Nick chuckled and gave her a sideways glance.

"In all seriousness Fluff, I think you have a dirtier mind than I do."

"…I agree."

"Oh."

"That took the wind out of your sails, didn't it?" she smirked.

"You're just full of surprises, Carrots," Nick handed her drink over.

"Shh, the movie's starting!" Judy said.

"…Yippee."

* * *

It wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

When the main character sang a song about painting with colors of the wind he had rolled his eyes at the cheesiness until he looked at Judy.

Her paws were clasped together, eyes wide.

 _Oh god, there goes her tail._

… _I wanna hold her paw so bad right now._

The movie finally struck a chord with him when the two main characters kissed. Two very different mammals… the film was more relatable than he thought it would be.

Now Judy was looking up at him, a soft smile on her face.

She grabbed his paw to hold and looked back to the screen.

Outwardly, Nick didn't react.

No one would know how fast his heart was pounding.

 _Is this normal or do I actually need a cardiologist?_

* * *

"They didn't even end up together! What was the point of it all?" Nick said.

"It didn't matter. I guess their love was enough?" Judy suggested.

"Meh."

"Oh I bet you're just a typical guy, only into action movies," she said.

"How dare you! I'll tell you something, I have a favorite movie, and I challenge you to deny that it has one of the most romantic premises in any movie!" he said.

"Okay, I'll play along," Judy put her arm around his waist and leaned in for support as they walked out to the busted old cab waiting for them.

Nick had seen enough of Zander for today. He was worried he'd dragon kick him in the face if he ruined one more romantic moment, so he just called a cab at random from his phone.

He opened the door for Judy, "So this guy travels back in time-"

"It's The Ex-Terminator, isn't it?" Judy got into the cab.

"Woah, that was quick!"

"Actually, it's one of my favorite movies as well," she said.

"…Really?" Nick couldn't help but grin like an idiot.

"Thought I'd only be into soppy romances?" she said.

"Oh, how embarrassing! Our prejudices are showing! And in public, too!" Nick joked.

Judy chuckled. "I know The Ex-Terminator has some romance, but how do you think it has the most romantic premise ever? That's a big claim!" she said.

They buckled up and the taxi set off.

"The photo of Sarah that John gives Kyle."

Judy frowned, thinking. "Hmm, I'll have to re-watch it again, it's been a while."

"Kyle and Sarah, their love transcends time," he said.

Judy nodded in understanding. "You're right, it's a beautiful paradox."

"…A lot like you," he said, walls down.

Judy put her paw over his and smiled.

"Ugh…" came from the driver's seat.

Judy frowned. "Excuse me?"

The driver, a bunny with graying fur, shook her head.

"Do what ya like in your own home, but keep it outta my cab."

"Hey, we weren't doing anything indecent-" Nick began.

"A fox and bunny _couple_? You call that _decent_?"

Nick sighed. "Fine, pull over and we'll get another cab."

The cab pulled over. "That will be one hundred and fifty bucks," the bunny held out her pay machine.

"You only took us half-way down one street!" Judy said, appalled.

Nick shook his head. "It's okay, Carrots," and reached for his wallet.

"No, it is _not_ okay! Not at all!" Judy said, balling her paws into fists.

"…Judy, best if we just drop it," Nick said.

"Price just went to two hundred if you don't want my security team to 'intervene'," the bunny said, not even bothering to look at them.

"I am a cop!" Judy said.

The bunny put a paw to her cheek, "Oh my goodness, Judy Hopps! I didn't see it was you!"

She held out her pay machine. "Like I give a shit, _try-hard_. Pay up, you ain't a cop right now."

"You are extorting us!" Judy stood up on the seat, her foot tapping furiously.

Nick shoved a wad of notes at the driver and literally hauled Judy out of the cab and slammed the door.

The cab drove off.

"No! Nick! What are you doing?! Put me down!" Judy struggled in his grip.

"There's nothing we can do. I should have known better – she's not part of a cab company, so we can't report her," he said.

"But!"

"Judy," Nick set her down and bent to her eye level. "I'm more used to this than you are. There are times when it's better to suck it up."

"Nick!" Judy had tears at the corners of her eyes. "Don't you want to be a cop too? To stop people like her?!"

"Yeah, but am I a cop right now? Are you? No, we are not. You need to be reinstated and I'm at least six months away from being able to do anything!"

He sighed. "What if it had ended in a brawl? After all the night howler crap, do you want to attract that kind of attention?"

Judy hung her head.

"You know I'm right, Fluff."

"…It's not fair," she whispered.

"Life isn't fair. _Real_ life is messy, Judy." Nick exhaled heavily.

"But, if you want us to… be a couple, then you're gonna see a lot of this." He looked down at his feet. "but, you don't have to be with me, you know."

"Hey," Judy said, grabbing his tie. "You're not getting rid of me that easily," she threw her arms around his neck.

"Judy… seriously, we're in public!" Nick hissed.

Judy smiled, remembering her dream. "I don't care," and she nuzzled her cheek gently against his.

Nick went weak at the knees.

 _Don't pass out don't pass out don't pass out oh god oh god oh god!_

Judy let go and leaned against a fire hydrant, "You have Zander's card, don't you? Let's give him a call and go home, huh? Nick?"

She waved her paw in front of his eyes. "Hullooooo?"

* * *

The drive home had been quiet and tension-filled.

Zander, to his credit, had kept his mouth shut. He dropped them off home.

Home.

Even the overgrown grass had a strange appeal.

"Hey Nick," Judy leaned on the fence, "I just realized I haven't been out to see the backyard yet!"

"Huh? Well, there's not much to see," Nick replied, bemused.

"I still wanna look!" she said.

"Okay," he opened the gate leading from the front to the backyard.

It just as overgrown. A rose bush flowered haphazardly along the fence line.

"See? It's nothing exciting," Nick said.

"It's nice, I've missed this," she sighed.

"Missed what, exactly?" he asked.

"Nature, grass. Back home, after a run, I'd lie in the grass and do cloud painting."

"…cloud gazing?" Nick said.

"More like painting, to me anyway," she said.

"I don't get it."

"C'mere, I'll show you!" Judy disappeared into the grass.

"Over here, Nick!" she called.

"Where'd you go? Ah!" Nick felt her pull him down by his tie.

"You make a habit of this, you're gonna owe me a new tie!" he said.

"Oh hush. Now, lie on your back," Judy ordered.

"'kay," he looked up at the sky, trying to ignore the heat creeping up his neck.

They were _very_ close.

"See the clouds? Watch that one," Judy gestured.

"…where?"

Judy gently took Nick's paw in hers.

"Right," she directed his arm, "-there," she pointed.

Nick felt his skin tingle beneath her touch.

"Now," she continued, "see how the breeze is moving it east?"

Nick nodded.

"-now imagine a ribbon of gold running through the cloud, in direction of the wind,"

 _I'm not sure I get this_.

Judy noticed his confusion.

"It's like you have a paintbrush, and you're running through the cloud with it." She traced their fingers together.

"Now watch it, and squint your eyes a little. What do you see?"

"…it's like… it's glowing!" he whispered, entranced.

"I love doing this," she said, moving their paws together, "sometimes it shimmers, sometimes it sparkles, or I imagine different colors. I don't really know what my brain is doing, but I like it."

"…I can relate to that," Nick muttered.

"So that's why you liked that colors of the wind part in the movie?" he said, turning his head towards her.

She was looking right back at him.

 _Those eyes of hers..._

He felt his face grow hot when he realized how close their faces were. He went to move-

"Wait, Nick," Judy put her paw on his shoulder and he flinched.

Her ears drooped. "…don't you like me touching you?" she asked.

"No! I mean, I- I just…"

… _like it too much_ , but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Argh! You are driving me _crazy_ , Nick!" Judy leaned over and before he knew it she had brushed her chin against his cheek.

Was he awake?

 _Yes._

"…did you like that?" she said.

"…y-yeah."

Judy leaned over him, putting both paws on his cheeks.

"Do you like… this?" Judy asked, stretching her palms and splaying her fingers in lazy circles.

 _It feels like velvet._

"…God yes," he said.

"Then what's the problem?" she whispered.

 _Damn it, rabbit!_

He grabbed her wrists like when she tickled him that morning and pulled her paws away from his face.

"I like it _too_ much, alright?!" he said.

 _There._

 _Cards are on the table._

"So?"

… _not what I thought she would say._

"I may never have enough!" he said.

"So?!" Judy all but shouted, "Take all you want!"

 _Ow. My heart._

 _No, not just my heart._

… _much lower._

"You'll wish you'd never said that," he said, his heart thudding painfully.

"Let me be the judge of that," Judy said, caressing his cheek.

"Damn you, Judy, you'll ruin me!" Nick growled.

Judy licked her lips, "I hope you'll do the same for me,"

Gone. He was gone.

He buried his head in her shoulder, inhaling her scent, thrilled when she brushed her own cheek against his, over and over.

 _Oh God._

"I've dreamed of this-"

"I had a dream about-"

They both began to speak simultaneously.

 _She did? She dreamed about... this?_

Judy was gazing at him.

He fought the usual urge to look away, and they exchanged shy smiles.

She took Nick's paws in her own, interlacing their fingers. "If you want to stop, just say so," she said.

"O-okay."

She pressed her lips to his.

Nick finally silenced the cynical voice in his head.

He let himself close his eyes, let himself enjoy it.

Judy gently squeezed his paws in hers before breaking their grasp.

Nick, still shy, put his arms by his sides, not knowing where else to put them.

They broke apart for air.

"Tell me what you want," she whispered.

"…here," he gestured to his cheek.

"Okay," Judy kissed him gently on his cheek, then ran her tongue gently over it.

"That!" Nick gasped. "…I like that!"

Judy leaned over to lick his other cheek.

Nick moaned, then rolled her onto her back, taking care not to touch her injured leg.

"…my turn," he smiled. "…what do you like?"

"Your chin, against my cheeks."

"…as you wish," he moved his jaw along the side of her face, feeling her shudder.

"You smell so good, Nick."

"…speak for yourself," he whispered.

"Put your mouth to better use."

"Yes ma'am," Nick licked along her cheek, down to her chin.

Judy took his face in her paws and pulled him down to kiss her.

"Mmph…"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, running her nails through his fur.

He took his mouth away, gasping for breath, then planted kisses all over her neck.

Nick gave her a lopsided smile. "…still think this isn't addictive?"

"I'll have to eat some humble _blueberry_ pie," she murmured. "Oh wait, I already did that. Want another taste?"

"You're an enabler, you know that, right?" Nick leaned down and pressed his lips to hers until they couldn't breathe.

"Ha," Judy gasped, "-are you seriously blushing, Mr Wilde?" she teased.

"Okay, I'm gonna have to call a time out here," Nick said.

"Aw, okay," Judy pouted.

Nick stood up and held his paw out for her.

A flirtatious smile crept over his face

 _I can finally say it._

"Wanna come back to my place? It's not far."

Judy pretended to think about it. "Which room, yours… or mine?"

* * *

sweetfries thank you for the fan art, I love it!

(check it out at: intricate - and - simple . tumblr . com)


	9. Family Tree

…they didn't make it to either bedroom, in the end.

They'd barely made it to the hallway before Judy pushed him onto the floor.

"You're assertive," Nick said between breaths.

"You were expecting _meek prey_?" Judy said, pinning his wrists down with her paws.

They jumped at a knock at the door.

"Yo, Nick!"

Judy scrambled off Nick. "Is that Finnick?!" she hissed.

Nick smirked at her. "Not so assertive now?"

"…Ahem," came a feminine voice, "-we can smell and _hear_ you, son."

" _Ma_?!" Nick bolted to his feet.

"You gonna let us in or what?" Finnick said between chuckles.

Nick opened the door.

"Ever heard of calling first?" Nick grumbled, letting Finnick and his mother inside.

"We did. Just went straight to voicemail," Mrs Wilde replied.

 _Ah crap, I turned my phone off at the movies!_

"Judy, you might want to turn your phone back on too," he turned to look at her.

"Judy? Where'd you go?"

Silence.

Nick shook his head. "Sorry, I think _somebunny's_ a little embarrassed."

"Huh. That's disappointing," Mrs Wilde said, absently cleaning a claw. "- sounded like she had you under control, _that's_ a first."

Nick's temperature soared. "How much did you guys hear?!"

"Enough," the two foxes said in unison.

"Oh! Oh! Let me role play as your mother for a minute!" Mrs Wilde said, excited.

"…You _are_ my mother," Nick scowled.

"Yeah, but I missed out on all of your awkward teenage years, so I'm here to collect. Ahem," she cleared her throat and took on a solemn expression.

"Mister Nicholas Piberious Wilde! Under your own roof?! You're only thirty-two! I'm ah, very disappointed in you- pfft!" she couldn't keep up the façade and soon the three of them were laughing.

"Where's Officer Fluff?" Finnick asked.

"Judy, get out here," Nick said.

Judy's very pink ears edged around the corner of the hallway.

"Uh, hi?" she squeaked.

"Yo." Finnick gave a lazy salute.

"Hi darlin'," Mrs Wilde said, "-sorry for interrupting, seriously. I'm really happy to see you both here," she smiled, bending down to give Judy a hug, to her delight.

"Thanks for all of the stuff you got for us, Ma," Nick said.

"No problem, was nice to feather the nest a bit for my boy," Mrs Wilde reached up and tousled the fur on the top of Nick's head.

Nick went to complain, but saw the joyful expression on both Judy and his mother's faces and held his tongue.

"Coffee?" he suggested, making his way to the kitchen.

"Actually," Mrs Wilde's ears flattened, "Finn and I… well, the date today… we were wondering if the two of you would join us?" she said, the most apprehensive that Judy had seen her.

 _The date? What's so special about today?_

"…do you guys still do the picnic thing?" Nick said, his own ears down.

"Sure do," Mrs Wilde offered a weak smile.

Nick turned to Judy. "It's a bit of a weird tradition..."

"But," Mrs Wilde took Nick's paws in hers, "-this time, it will be all of us together."

Judy was baffled, but knew it must be important. "Okay, if you don't think I'd be in the way."

* * *

Finnick pulled his van up off the road and onto an empty field, surrounded by gently rolling hills. Judy got out, surprised when Finnick offered his paw to support her.

"Oh, thank you," Judy said.

"…we're just gonna chill here for a minute," Finnick inclined his head to Mrs Wilde and Nick climbing up the grassy hill together to a blooming wisteria tree at the top.

"…sure?" Judy said, confused.

"You know about his old man?" Finnick asked.

"He… passed away when Nick was seven, right?"

"Yeah. Nearly broke her," Finnick's ears twitched ever so slightly.

Judy noticed. "You two seem close,"

Finnick eyed her, slightly wary. "We was all family, the four of us."

He gave a heavy sigh. "Mr Wilde, he used to run a game arcade. One day he caught me stealing snacks from behind the counter. Instead of turning me in, he invited me home for dinner."

Finnick sat down on the grass by the van, and Judy followed suit.

"I was 'bout sixteen," he said. "Nick was I dunno, a toddler. I hadn't been in school, just drifting, but Nick's folks took me in. They agreed to lie about my age so I could start school same year as Nick. I didn't know how to read or nothing, so…"

Judy didn't push, continuing to listen.

"His Ma, Viv… she's a hell of a lady. When Mr Wilde died, she tried to keep the arcade running. But, she went bankrupt. She tried cleaning, then was accused of stealing and couldn't get no more work. That's when the… other work had to happen to pay the bills."

Judy looked at her feet, remembering how her dad had reacted on the phone to Nick's surname.

"We thought she was still cleaning," Finnick's voice broke her reverie.

"Nick was about twelve when we found out. I said we should work ourselves so she didn't have to do that no more, and that's when the pawpsicle hustling started. I kept in touch, but Nick," he looked up at the hill, seeing the two of them hug.

"-he just stopped coming home. Didn't matter what I'd say, neither him or his ma would back down."

"It must have been hard on you, Finnick," Judy said softly.

"Woulda been a whole lot harder without any of 'em in my life, so it's okay," Finnick shrugged.

"Anyways, we used to come here for picnics, when the old man was still alive. So every year on his birthday, we come and have a picnic under the tree. That's where his ashes are."

"Oh…" Judy's ears fell.

"Don't be like that. It's romantic, ain't it? The ashes go into the soil, the tree draws up the nutrients. So, it's like he's still alive, you know what I'm saying?"

Judy sniffed.

"Hey, keep it together. This is _their_ tough part, when we go up, it's happy face time, you get me?" he said, eyes hard.

Judy took a deep breath, "…okay."

Finnick looked up at the hill, seeing Nick and Mrs Wilde setting up the picnic. "You ready?"

"Yeah," and she leaned on him as they made their way up the hill.

* * *

"Hey… Dad," Nick said softly.

"Happy birthday, honey. The tree looks beautiful, as always," Mrs Wilde said.

She tidied the plaque at the foot of the tree, placing fresh flowers in the chipped vase.

"I know you came here over the years," she said to Nick.

"The letters I left him, huh?" Nick said.

"…I stole them," she admitted.

"I thought you would. That's why I wrote 'em," Nick whispered.

"…Nick, you hurt me, I felt so abandoned. If not for Finnick..."

"I know," Nick's ears fell.

His mother continued, "I hurt you too, I know. I expected you to grow up more quickly than you should have had to. Reality is a bitter pill for any grown mammal to swallow, let alone for a twelve-year-old."

She held a paw to the trunk of the tree. "I just… couldn't get over him. If I couldn't be with him, why bother living?"

She turned to Nick. "For you. For Finnick. The jobs didn't bother me because it was for you. So I just kept waiting for you to come back to me," she said, amber eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Ma," Nick swallowed, "-I'm so sorry… I was an asshole."

Mrs Wilde took a deep breath. "…I forgive you. I can't be angry with you here," she looked up as the petals drifted silently around them, "-your dad won't let me."

"Dad," Nick added his paw to his mother's on the tree trunk, warmed by the afternoon sun, "-I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"…he knows, Nick," his mom drew him into a hug, "-somehow, he knows."

They were quiet for a moment, just listening to the breeze slip between the blades of grass at their feet.

"Anyway," Mrs Wilde wiped her eyes with a tissue, offering one to Nick, "-enough of this emotional bullshit, let's have a picnic!" She gave him a lopsided grin.

"You stay classy, Ma." Nick returned the smile, eyes still misty.

They looked down to Finnick and Judy.

Mrs Wilde saw the look on Nick's face.

"You've imprinted on that bunny, haven't you?" she said.

"…I think so," he said.

"Then, she's a part of the family now," Mrs Wilde took Nick's paw, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"If you break another poor woman's heart, I'll fucking kill you," she said.

"I don't doubt it," Nick replied as he unfolded the picnic blanket and Mrs Wilde started getting the food ready.

* * *

Judy wondered if Finnick would also make a good cop - if he had any emotions, he hid them well as they joined Nick and his mother on the picnic blanket beneath the tree.

Her eyes started to water again when she saw Nick's reddened eyes, and she only pulled it together when Finn stared her down.

 _Keep it together,_ she thought.

Mrs Wilde passed around cups, filling them with hot chocolate from a thermos. She caught Judy's confused expression and chuckled.

"It was John's favorite, he was a big kid. I'd rather a whiskey, but it's his day, so his way."

The three foxes held their cups up to the tree, "Celebrate life, not death," they said together.

Judy held her cup up silently, before taking a sip.

It may be the best hot chocolate she had ever tasted.

"It's good, right?" Nick smiled at her reaction, "Ma's hot chocolate is the best."

"It's delicious," Judy agreed, "I'll have to get the recipe from you sometime, Mrs Wilde."

"You can call me Viv. I could give you the recipe, but then I'd have to kill you," Vivienne said, expressionless.

Finnick and Nick also kept their faces neutral.

 _Were they joking?_

… _they weren't?_

Judy reddened. "Uh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

The others broke out in raucous laughter.

"Oh I can see the appeal Nick, she's easier to play than the bongos!" Vivienne chuckled.

"Hey!" Judy scowled, then joined their laughter.

"This is… unique," she said when they had calmed down.

"Well, it'd be creepy if it were a graveyard, but we had good times here when John was still alive," Vivienne said, Nick and Finnick nodding.

"I'm sure he'd be happy to see you all close," Judy smiled.

"Eh, life gets complicated, this been a long time coming," Finnick nudged Nick.

A single petal drifted into her empty cup. Judy looked up as the sun peeked shyly from behind the clouds.

"It'd be a great place for cloud painting, right Carrots?" Nick smiled, catching her gaze.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking," she said.

"What the fuck is cloud painting?" Vivienne asked.

 _Beauty with a beastly mouth,_ Judy mused.

Nick smiled, "I've just been inducted into the arts by Judy, I'll show you."

The four of them lay on their backs, quietly pointing up at the sky until it grew dark and stars began to appear.

Judy had never felt more at home.

* * *

A/N: A shorter chapter, dedicated to those who have lost a loved one.

Light, love, and hot chocolate to you all.


	10. A Bitter Pill

The four of them gazed up at the darkening sky.

"Cloud painting, huh?" Finnick chuckled. "Man, only thing that'd make this better would be a _special_ brownie!"

"Finn, I'm gonna be a cop one day," Nick said with a smirk, "I'd like to _not_ have to bust you for possession."

"Well, I guess my dessert is a no-go then," Vivienne said with a sigh and closed the picnic basket.

"Vivienne, you don't really..." Judy began, eyes wide.

"Nah, I'm just yanking your chain, you make it so easy!" Vivienne grinned at her.

Judy felt her phone vibrate and took it out of her pocket to answer it.

"Oh, Chief Bogo, good evening, sir!"

" _Hopps. Are you ready for reinstatement? I need your report to finalize the missing mammals' case,"_ the chief said.

"Yessir!" Judy leaped to her feet, cringing a little from the strain on her leg sutures.

" _Good. It will be strictly desk work for the next two weeks. Doctors' orders. Can you make it in tomorrow morning?"_

"Absolutely!" Judy's tail wiggled, prompting poorly stifled laughter from the others.

"I know, right?!"

"That's fucking adorable, that's what that is!"

"I thought I was cute, but DAYUM!"

"Guys!" Judy covered the mouthpiece and scowled.

" _Hopps, one more thing,"_ Bogo said.

"Yes, sir?"

" _Bring that fox with you. We'll need him to corroborate the account as a witness."_

Judy frowned. "His name is Nick Wilde, sir."

" _Don't care. See you tomorrow."_

The call ended.

"Looks like I'm back to work tomorrow!" Judy smiled and put her phone back in her pocket, "Nick, could you come in with me to make a statement for my report?"

"I think I can do that," Nick returned the smile.

"Fuck, you two are gonna give me cavities!" Vivienne stretched out her legs and stood.

"I didn't realize it had gotten so late," she walked over to the tree trunk and touched her paw to it, "same time next year, honey?"

Vivienne picked up the picnic basket and made her way back down the hill.

"Happy birthday, big guy." Finnick gently nudged his fist to bump the tree and then followed Vivienne.

"Dad, you probably can't hear me," Nick started once Finnick and his mother were out of earshot, "but just in case, happy birthday. I wish... you could've met Judy."

Judy grabbed his paw in hers and pressed them both against the tree.

"Mr Wilde, I'm Judy Hopps. Don't worry," she gave Nick a tender smile, "I'm going to look after your son, I _promise,_ " Judy said.

Nick stared at her, dumbstruck.

"Let me know when you're ready, Nick," Judy said, doing her best to keep her voice steady.

Nick took a deep breath.

 _Too many tears this week, pull it together!_

"Yeah... yeah I'm ready," he said.

* * *

There was a comfortable silence in the van as Finnick drove.

"Thank you, everyone," Judy said eventually, "for including me in something so special."

Finnick smiled at her in the rear vision mirror, "It's all up to Viv."

"Thank you, Vivienne," Judy said.

Vivienne turned from the front seat and smiled. "You're welcome. I gotta say, it's nice to see a bunny so accepting. No offense, hon," she said.

Judy shook her head, "I have been small-minded in the past, but I'm not going to take after my dad."

Vivienne gave Nick a curious glance.

Nick sighed, "Judy was assaulted by a fox as a kid. Her parents became overly paranoid after that."

Judy's ears drooped, "I thought that they had opened their minds."

She saw the query on Nick's face. "Only a few days ago, Dad and Mom told me that they were working with Gideon, the one who bullied me."

"So the blueberries in the pies would've been from your parents' farm?" Nick said.

Judy nodded.

"I'm confused as fuck over here," Vivienne said, "how does that affect you two right now?"

"Her dad, he…" Nick couldn't bring himself to say it.

"My dad was a complete jerk," Judy said, "he forced me to choose: give up being a cop and come home, or stay with Nick," she smiled up at him.

"I chose Nick. But Dad said he'd never speak to me again if I did, among… other, horrible species-ist things."

Even Finnick's ears fell upon hearing this.

Nick couldn't make eye contact with his mother.

"I got the impression that he may have been a former client of yours, Ma," he said.

"Boy, _that_ narrows it down," Vivienne said with an eye roll.

" _Ma!"_ Nick groaned, "mind bleach, mind bleach!"

Judy reddened while Finnick and Vivienne simply chuckled.

"How are you so okay with it, Finn?!" Nick demanded.

"Older and wiser, buddy," he replied, "and she hasn't done that for years anyhow, so calm down."

"...I know, I know. Sorry, Ma," Nick said.

"So you should be, after what I heard this afternoon. Hypocrite," she said.

"N-nothing happened this afternoon!" Judy exclaimed, blushing to her ear tips.

The two foxes in the front seat raised curious eyebrows.

"We don't care if something did, she's just teasing," Finnick's eyes flitted between the rear vision mirror and the road.

"Oh."

"Ain't nothin' to be ashamed of. It's all natural when you're in love," Finnick said.

Judy was surprised by how much Finnick had opened up today.

 _Wait a minute._

 _'In love?'_

 _With Nick?_

Her heart raced.

 _That's what this was..._

 _...wasn't it?_

"She's off her hormone suppressants, so this is all pretty new to her," Nick mumbled.

"Nick!" Judy elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ow! What are your bones made of, adamantine?!" Nick squawked.

He looked to the front of the van, expecting more indulgent chuckles.

The concerned expressions on both his mother and his friend's faces took him by surprise.

"Judy," Vivienne began, "-since we're being honest, I gotta ask: have you ever... been in a relationship?"

" _Ma_!" Nick exclaimed.

"No, I haven't. Why...?" Judy replied.

Vivienne groaned and massaged her temples with her fingers. "So you've been on hormone suppressants since your teens?"

"Yeah, it's pretty common to do that to prevent-" Judy blushed, "-teenage pregnancies in Bunnyburrow."

The van pulled up outside of the cottage.

"Okay, we're home!" Nick flung the van door open, "It's been uh, weird, as usual! See ya round guys!" He made a beeline for the front door.

Judy put her foot down gingerly onto the pavement.

 _Looks like I can walk on this leg now._

Vivienne rolled down the window and motioned for Judy to come over.

"Judy, I need you to do something for me," she said, her voice hushed.

"Sure, what is it?" Judy said.

"…start taking the pills again," Vivienne said.

Finnick couldn't hide his shock.

Neither could Judy.

"Look, if what you feel for Nick is real, you'll still feel that way on the pills. But if it's just-" she looked to Nick, who was unlocking the door, "-hormonal urges, I don't

want you to be with Nick and then… change your mind. Foxes mate for _life_."

Judy's shock ebbed and she frowned. "Some bunnies do too!"

"Figure out if you're one of them, that's all I'm asking. Don't go hurting my boy," Vivienne's voice was firm, but not unkind.

"Hey, you guys better not be giving Judy a hard time!" Nick called out from the porch.

"See ya round, Nick," Finnick said, his voice impassive.

"...please," Vivienne said to Judy before the van drove away.

Judy's heart thudded.

She felt like she couldn't breathe.

 _Could what I'm feeling for Nick_ … _not be real?_

* * *

Nick went inside and flicked the light switch on.

 _God, I could really use a Xanyaks._

While there had been good times, this had probably been one of the most stressful weeks of his life.

"You okay, Fluff?" he called to Judy, as she walked inside gingerly on her injured leg.

"Yeah," she replied.

"I'm still full from the picnic, but are you hungry for dinner?" Nick asked.

"Uh, no... I'm good, thanks."

 _That's unusual._

He didn't know where she put it, but normally she ate like a horse.

 _She ate a lot at the picnic too, I guess._

"I-I think I'm gonna call it a night," Judy said as she made her way down the hall, "we'll need to be up early to get ready for work."

Nick snorted. "It's only six-thirty!"

"Yeah well, I'm tired, okay?" she said, a slight edge to her voice that Nick hadn't heard before.

"…are you okay, Judy? Did Ma or Finn say something?" he asked.

"No, no. I really am just tired. Good night, Nick. Thanks for today."

She was smiling, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Nick knew that smile.

 _Hell, I invented it._

 _The one almost convincing enough if you didn't know any better…_

He decided not to push.

It had been a big day.

"Okay. Goodnight, Carrots," he said.

Her door closed.

Nick pulled out his phone and texted:

 _'Finn BUDDY, WTF? Judy has gone all quiet!'_

He grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, turning the volume down so it wouldn't disturb Judy.

Nick tossed the remote to the floor and flopped onto the couch to half-watch whatever was on.

 _Some romantic comedy movie._

 _Meh._

 _The remote's all the way over there._

 _Can I be bothered moving to change the channel?_

 _Nope._

"You are everything I never knew I always wanted!" the male squirrel said to the female.

Nick rolled his eyes.

 _What a stupid line_.

Even more stupid that he could relate to it.

 _Judy…_

He cast a baleful glare over to his phone.

There was still no reply from Finnick.

* * *

Nick woke a few hours later, disorientated.

The home shopping channel chattered away to itself on the TV.

 _Oh, I fell asleep on the couch._

He checked his phone again.

Nothing.

 _May as well turn in._

He turned the TV off and dragged himself to the bathroom.

The sight of their toothbrushes sitting together on the basin made him sigh.

After their time in the backyard, Nick admitted to himself that he had a tiny hope that he wouldn't be sleeping alone tonight.

His reflection in the mirror as he brushed his teeth seemed to mock him.

 _See? This is what happens when you get your hopes up!_

His expectations had gotten out of line, that's all. He must have subconsciously put Judy under pressure.

If he backed off, things would happen at her pace.

 _Yeah, that was it._

 _...maybe._

He finally crawled under the covers of his bed, facing her room.

It felt odd.

For the first time, it wasn't him putting the walls between them.


	11. Officer Down

Finnick indicated and pulled the van away from the cottage.

He kept a calm exterior, but Judy's appalled expression was burning in his mind.

"...I can feel you judging me," Vivienne said after a while.

Finnick shook his head.

"I ain't never judged you, Viv. Not gonna start now."

Vivienne folded her arms.

"But you think I'm wrong," she said.

Finnick took a deep breath and shifted gears.

"...it don't matter what I think."

"Of course it matters, Finn!"

Vivienne's voice was loud enough to surprise him.

"You're a part of this family, and if I've fucked up, I want to know!" she said.

Finnick's grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"I get it, why you said it," he said eventually, "but... I don't think it was your place. They both grown mammals, after all."

He watched her ears slide back from the corner of his vision.

"I just don't want Nick to get hurt," Vivienne said, twisting her wedding band around her finger.

Finnick sighed, "Viv, chill. It's been a big day - sleep on it. If you feel different about it come tomorrow," he gave her a small smile, "-you gimme a call, we can talk it out then, huh?"

He parked outside of Vivienne's apartment building.

Vivienne nodded.

"You're right Finn," she undid her seat belt and leaned over to hug him, "-what would I do without you?"

"...haul 'yo ass home on the bus?" he grinned.

"I'm serious," Viv gently took Finnick's face in her paws and looked him right in the eye.

"I can't tell you how grateful I am for you always being there for me," she stroked the fur on the top of his head, "-how long has it been? Thirty years? Makes me feel so fucking old!"

"Watch your mouth, I'm only four years younger than you!" Finnick smirked.

Vivienne shook her head, "Sorry, I keep forgetting."

She sighed and averted her gaze. "You know, now that Nick's back in my life, it doesn't mean - I don't want you to think that I..."

Finnick shook his head. "I get it," he extracted her paws from his face.

"Go get some sleep," he smiled.

"Okay. Thanks, Finn," Vivienne said.

She got out of the van.

"You _do_ know you can always crash here, right?" she gestured to the building behind her.

Finnick rolled his eyes.

"You say that every damn time," he said.

Vivienne smiled, "I keep hoping you'll change your mind someday, that's all," she waved.

He took off back to Sahara Square, stereo on full blast.

* * *

Finnick parked in his usual spot and locked all the doors and windows from the inside.

He pulled down the makeshift blinds over the windows and hid the keys under the seat.

His baseball bat was right next to his bed, just in case.

Flopping down onto the stack of quilts, he sighed.

Nick and Judy.

He hoped it would all work out for them.

 _So you an optimist now?_

Finnick turned to his side, detecting the scent of Vivienne's perfume on his shirt.

He bolted upright and yanked his shirt off, throwing it to the front seat.

He ran a paw over his face.

 _Why'd she have to touch me?!_

The familiar self-disgust washed over him.

 _Sick._

 _You a sick, stunted, bastard!_

He lay back down and clasped the bronze sobriety chip threaded through a strap around his neck.

"'Powers that be,'" he quoted, eyes squeezed shut, "'-grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot... change,'" he said as he drifted into sleep.

"'...cannot... change.'"

* * *

The next morning, Judy opened the front door to a blueberry-stained apron.

"Gideon?" she looked up, "I thought Mom was going to-"

"H-hi Judy," Gideon interrupted, "-I had to come to town for a delivery anyhow, so I offered to take this down to you for Mrs H."

"Oh, okay. I appreciate it," Judy took the box from him and put it down inside.

"I'm back to work today and my uniform is in here," she tapped the box.

"Thank you, Gideon," she said with a smile.

"Y-you're welcome, Judy."

The silence hung in the air.

"I tried one of your pies, it was delicious!" Judy said.

"Glad you liked it," Gideon twiddled his fingers.

"Judy," he said, "-I just want you to know I'm sorry for making your life hard, in the present tense. I mean, with Mr H..."

Judy blinked, "Mom told you what happened?"

"Yeah. Don't worry none. You know she don't feel the same way as Mr H," Gideon said.

"I hope it's not affecting you, Gideon," Judy said.

He shrugged, "I mainly see your Ma now. She reckons he's goin' through a mid-life crisis or somethin'."

His ears lay flat.

"...I sure am sorry, Judy. If only I hadn't been so mean to you back then," Gideon's eyes misted.

Judy's own ears fell back.

"Hey, hey, we were only kids! It's okay, we're friends now, right? Come here!" she held her arms out.

Gideon knelt down and they hugged.

"I'm sorry to _interrupt_ ," Nick's voice echoed behind them.

Judy cringed.

 _...crap, that can't have looked good._

"Oh, you must be Mr Wilde!" Gideon said, walking away from Judy and holding his paw out to Nick.

Nick kept his arms crossed, "and you are..?"

Gideon brought his paw back to nervously scratch the back of his head.

"I'm Gideon Gray, I work with Judy's folks. I just dropped off her things from back home," Gideon pointed to the box on the floor.

Nick's eyebrow twitched.

"I hope you aren't the same Gideon that mauled Judy," he said, his voice low as he walked over and put his arm around Judy's waist.

 _Mine._

"I-I'm not the same as when I were a kit-" Gideon's nose twitched, and his eyebrows shot up.

"Oh! I thought- Mrs H said you two were just roommates!"

"Yeah well, we're not," Nick smirked.

Judy suppressed a frustrated sigh and pulled Nick's arm away from her.

"Thanks again Gideon, I'd better get ready for work," she said with an apologetic smile.

"Sure thing," Gideon said, "-it was, uh, good to meet you, Mr Wilde," he closed the door behind him.

"Don't let the door hit your tail on the way out," Nick said under his breath.

"Nick!" Judy exclaimed, "I can't _believe_ you!"

"The feeling is mutual!" Nick said, "How would you feel if the first thing you saw was me hugging some random vixen?"

Judy rolled her eyes.

"Nick, he's just a friend," she huffed and walked over to the box.

"You were awfully close, given that he used to _bully_ you," Nick said, his voice soft.

"For your information, he was just apologizing for the issues he contributed to with my dad. He got upset, so I hugged him. It's not a big deal."

Judy ran her nails under the tape of the box to open it.

"You have no reason to be jealous, Nick," she said.

Nick didn't respond.

Judy looked back at the open box, taking out the short, hurried note from her mother:

 _'Hi Bun-bun, you know how much we both love you._

 _Your father was way out of line._

 _He'll cool down eventually._

 _I packed you some snacks._

 _Love always, Mom xoxo'_

Judy took out one of the ziplock bags with a carrot muffin in it.

"...Judy, what the hell is this?" Nick said.

He held out a bottle of pills in his paw, labeled:

 _'Hopps, J: Doepamine Leporilide. Take twice daily.'_

Judy froze, then snatched the bottle from him.

"Why are you going through my stuff?!"

"Kinda hard to miss, sitting on the top of the box with _this_ on it," he shoved the pink post-it note in her face.

 _'Here are the pills you asked for -Mom.'_

Judy opened her mouth to lie, but couldn't.

 _Next best thing to the truth? A half-truth?_

"I'm... worried about my performance at work without it," she said.

Nick crumpled the note in his paw.

"Bull," he said.

"No, really, I-" Judy started.

Nick's eyes narrowed.

"Ma told you to, didn't she?"

 _Damn clever fox._

Judy couldn't answer, only defer.

She looked at her watch.

"It's 7:45, we need to get some breakfast and head to the station. We can talk about this later," she grabbed her uniform out of the box.

" _You_ can go to the station. _I'm_ gonna go have a little _chat_ with my mother," Nick said, getting his cell out of his pocket.

"Nick, I need you with me today for your statement!" Judy said and grabbed his arm.

"Won't I just be a distraction to your performance?" Nick's ears were flat.

He pulled his arm out of her grasp.

"Nick! I'm sorry, okay? I didn't- I still don't know what to do!" Judy said, trying to avoid his gaze.

"You should have told me," he said.

She shuffled onto her good leg, "I knew it would upset you!"

"The idea of you taking medication so you can't feel anything natural towards me? 'Upset' is an understatement!" Nick said, paws on his hips.

"But," Judy said, "-your mom- she's worried that if it's only 'urges', that I'll hurt you!"

"So what if it is only urges?!" Nick said, "Maybe that doesn't bother me! What about what _I_ feel?"

Judy gave him a confused look.

"Viv said if I really had real feelings for you anyway, the medication wouldn't make any difference!" she said.

"So if you suddenly didn't want to be with me anymore because of the pills - how the hell were you going to try and explain that to me?" Nick all but shouted.

The expression on his face, the same disappointment and anger from when she last hurt him.

"Judy, don't you think that would have been worse?!"

Her ears drooped.

She visibly shook herself and took her uniform out of the box.

"We gotta go to work, Nick. Can't this wait 'til later?" she turned to go to the bathroom.

"Sure! Since what I think doesn't matter to anyone, anyway!" Nick yelled.

Judy scowled.

"Grow up, Nick," she said.

"Big talk from someone who still sleeps with _stuffed animals_!" Nick grabbed a random bunny doll from the box and held it out.

Judy reddened. She hurried into the bathroom.

The door slammed behind her.

* * *

They didn't have time to eat breakfast, so they caught the subway to the ZPD both hungry and grumpy.

Judy wished she'd at least remembered to take one of her mom's muffins with her.

The train was packed.

Even as smaller mammals, they barely had room to stand.

Judy had also forgotten to take her pain medication in the rush, and her leg throbbed as she tried to keep her balance.

 _Suck it up._

It was good to be back in her uniform.

She was looking forward to going back to work.

 _Well, I had been until this morning._

She stole a glance over at Nick, who made it clear that he didn't want to be anywhere near her.

He tapped away on his phone, looking bored.

 _I thought I was doing the right thing,_ she thought.

Now there was a pain in her chest as well as her leg.

* * *

Nick had to make a conscious effort to stop his tail from bristling as they walked through the revolving doors of the ZPD.

"Hopps!"

"Clawhauser!" Judy grinned. "Oof!"

The cheetah had raced out from behind the desk to scoop Judy up in a hug.

Nick's tail twitched.

 _What was it, national hug-a-bunny day?!_

He took a deep breath.

 _Don't let it show._

"Good to see you, honey!" Clawhauser said with a wide smile.

Judy winced a little.

"Oh, I didn't hurt your leg, did I?" he set Judy down gently.

"No, not at all!" Judy grinned. "It's good to see you too! You're back at the desk!"

"Yeah! Just have to bring up my stuff from downstairs!"

Nick coughed politely.

"Oh, Clawhauser, you remember Nick?" Judy said.

"Yeah! I saw you on the day of the press conference. Judy told me you were crucial to solving the missing mammals' case!" Clawhauser said, holding his paw out to shake.

Nick took it and smiled.

"I'm sure she exaggerates. Is that-" Nick leaned forward, "-a _donut_ stuck in your neck?"

"Nick!" Judy hissed.

"Oh no, it's my breakfast panini. Just keeping it warm!" He gave them a toothy grin, "Hopps, Bogo said to go straight up to his office. He'll talk to you when he's done in the bullpen."

Nick and Judy started to walk away.

"Oh, Nick- you'll be needing one of these," Clawhauser handed Nick a visitors' pass, which he hung around his neck.

"He'll have a badge of his own one day! Right, Nick?" Judy forced some cheer into her voice.

"That reminds me. Could I have an application form for the academy, please?" Nick asked.

"Oh sure! Here," Clawhauser handed the form to Nick before the phone rang.

"Gotta get back to it! See ya around!" he smiled, pulling the panini out of his neck folds.

Nick cringed.

"Ugh, that cheese sure is stretchy!" he said.

Judy's ears twitched.

"Nick, hush up!"

* * *

Before they knew it, it was 5 p.m.

The day had gone quicker than Nick thought it would.

Despite their argument, they had worked well together.

Nick did his best to be professional, as did Judy.

Every now and then he saw her touch a paw to her badge, given back by Bogo this morning, with a wistful smile on her face.

She didn't make it easy for him to be angry with her.

He had filled in his application form and handed it back to Clawhauser.

The work felt quite natural to him, even with the hormone suppressant pill-shaped elephant in the room.

They stuck to the case, which was mostly paperwork, and Nick made occasional trips out for coffee.

It was more mundane than he had expected, but it was a pleasant change.

Bogo knocked on the wall divider.

"Time to go, Hopps," he said.

Judy's ears fell, "I can stay longer, Chief!"

"No."

"But!"

"No. And you're not coming in tomorrow either. Get yourself to a doctor and get that leg checked," he said.

Judy looked perplexed then looked down to where Bogo was pointing at her leg.

The wound had bled through her uniform.

She must have torn her sutures.

"Oh no!" she groaned.

"Out, Hopps. You," he glared at Nick, "-make sure she sees a doctor," he said before stomping away.

"Ah, yes sir," Nick said.

He cursed inwardly.

He should've known - he thought he could smell blood, but didn't want to make the same mistake he had in high school.

The very memory of it made him blush.

He had learned the hard way to keep his nose to himself around female mammals.

"I'll see if Zander can take us to the hospital," Nick got out his cell.

He expected further protests.

"...okay," she said, her voice soft.

 _Not a good sign._

She was hunched over, turned away from him.

"Hey," Nick hesitated, then reached out his paw under her chin, lifting her head.

Her eyes were swimming with tears.

"I-it hurts!" she whispered.

Nick's heart dropped to his stomach.

"Oh Judy, why didn't you say something?! Didn't you bring your pain meds with you?"

She shook her head, "I forgot to take them this morning too," she said.

"Ah geez... Okay, c'mere," he hopped off the desk chair they were sharing and bundled her into his arms.

"It's gonna be okay," he said.

He carried her down the stairs, ignoring all curious eyes except Clawhausers'.

"I'm gonna call an ambulance, okay Nick?" the cheetah had picked up the phone before waiting for a response.

Nick hated himself in that moment.

He had been so consumed with playing it cool that he couldn't see that Judy was in pain.

 _And Ma was worried about_ me _getting hurt._

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews and PM's - I'll do my best to reply this week, now I have more time. I never thought I'd get so many! (*^_^*) You guys are so awesome!


	12. Friction

The place smelled like bleach, stale coffee, and stress.

Like sick animals and their carers as they sweated through their shifts.

Nick put a paw out and struggled to keep it from shaking.

 _Okay, maybe all those trips to the coffee machine weren't such a good idea._

For the umpteenth time, he looked up at the clock.

11:14 p.m.

He swore it was 11:12 _hours_ ago.

Nick got up and walked over to the nurses' station.

"No, Mr Wilde," the hippo said, her eyes not leaving the monitor, "-no updates on Miss Hopps' condition."

"I'm getting predictable, huh?" Nick scratched his arm.

"It's understandable, but as I told you before: there is nothing to worry about."

"Why won't they release her, then?" Nick asked, trying to keep his voice down.

The nurse sighed. "Doctor Tibron wants to talk to you after he finishes his rounds."

 _Oh no._

 _He's going to lecture me for being such a lousy carer!_

"Sorry for bugging you," Nick went back to his seat.

He'd read every magazine in the waiting area.

Twice.

He surfed the web on his phone.

 _If only I hadn't been such a self-absorbed-_

"Mr Wilde?" Dr Tibron walked over to him.

"Yes?!" Nick shot straight up, "How is she?"

The beaver inclined his head to the right.

"Let's go into my office," he said.

 _Not good!_

"Have a seat," Dr Tibron said.

"Is she okay?" Nick blurted.

"She's doing just fine," he replied. "You act as though she had her leg amputated!"

Nick rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"I've redone her sutures. Are you still her carer?"

Nick's ears fell.

"Yeah, I know I should've done a better job-"

"You've kept the site clean, so there is no sign of infection. She simply tore her stitches. We see that often in overactive mammals, particularly rabbits," Dr Tibron said.

Nick blinked.

 _Where's the lecture?!_

"Huh? No, _I_ should have stopped her. I let her over-do it!" he said.

The beaver shook his head.

"You did nothing wrong. Sometimes I need to prescribe sedatives so that the patient is forced to rest, and I think this is one of those cases."

He wrote on a prescription pad, tore off a sheet and handed it to Nick.

"You can get that filled at the pharmacy on the ground floor. Now, bear in mind that this will be in addition to her current pain medication."

"Okay," Nick slid the paper into his pocket.

"It will make her sleep for most of the time. When she is awake, expect some peculiar behavior and memory loss," Dr Tibron said.

Nick stood up.

"So I can take her home now?"

The doctor shook his head.

"I'd like to keep her here overnight, just as a precaution. You can come and get her in the morning," he stood up and opened the door for Nick.

"Oh, right," Nick walked out.

"Anything else I need to do, doc?"

"Just what you were doing with the bandages, and keep her mostly housebound for about five days. Then bring her in for a check-up."

"What about her work at the ZPD?"

The beaver nodded, "Chief Bogo has been in touch, so that will be taken care of."

Nick let go of a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Thanks for everything, doc," he said.

"You can go _home_ now, Mr Wilde," the beaver said with a grin. "Get some rest."

"Right, home..."

* * *

Nick took the subway.

It was practically barren.

He thought back to earlier that morning, when they stood in the crowd.

When he made a show of looking disinterested to Judy.

As he watched her little nose twitch out of the corner of his eye.

His heart sank.

 _I'm an asshole._

He had been so angry at her for hugging Gideon.

Even angrier when he discovered her pills.

She had said she wasn't going to quit, back at The Den.

Right after she admitted that she might have feelings for him.

To him, the hormone suppressants seemed like quitting.

So he'd pushed aside the little voice in his head.

He didn't ask another mammal to give up their seat for her.

He didn't move closer in case she fell.

He'd let his bitterness drown it all out.

He got out his phone.

 _'Ma, I messed up. Can I drop by?'_ he texted.

 _'Sure. Show just finished. Come on overalls,'_ she replied.

Nick scoffed.

 _'Learn to turn off auto correct.'_

 _'Feckle off I don't have my glasser on!+ '_

He smiled for the first time in hours.

 _'Go get lasik already, Ma!'_

 _'Go fully yourself. C u soon.'_

* * *

Nick rapped his knuckles on the door.

A polar bear answered, hunched over even with the high ceilings.

"You must be Viv's boy, she's expecting you. Come in," she moved aside to let Nick in.

"Thank you, Urbeth," Vivienne stuck her head out of the dining room and motioned Nick over with her paw.

"Hi Ma, I-"

Nick blinked.

The table was packed!

At least ten female mammals were seated, all dressed in comfy pajamas.

"Oh, Viv! This your son?" said a squirrel.

"He's got your looks!" said a sheep.

"But does he have your mouth?" twin ferrets said in unison.

"Nah," Vivienne smiled, "-he's more like his father, thank god."

A chorus of chuckles rang out.

"Everyone, this is my son, Nick," Vivienne said, putting a paw on his shoulder.

"We'll do proper introductions another time-"

Nick's stomach growled.

He blushed when the girls giggled.

"Hungry? We're just about to have dinner," Vivienne said.

Nick winced.

"Thanks Ma, but I don't feel like food poisoning right now," he said.

"Who said it was _my_ cooking?"

Vivienne gave him a sly grin and opened the wooden sliding door connecting the kitchen to the dining room.

Finnick was at the stove, stirring something in a giant pot.

Nick gaped.

"Finn? I haven't seen you cook since high school!" he said, sniffing the air.

"It smells really good! You sure kept this to yourself!"

"...so what," Finnick muttered, continuing to stir.

"Oh shush. Your cooking's great!" Vivienne said.

She grabbed a set of bowls from the cupboard. "You're lucky to have the chance to try it, Nick!"

Finnick held out a bowl of risotto to him.

"Thanks," Nick took it and breathed in the aroma.

It made his mouth water.

 _Did I eat today?_

 _I had coffee._

 _That doesn't count!_

Vivienne held out her bowl to be filled.

"I had the kitchen remodeled so it is 'Finn-friendly' – for the amazing in-house cook!" she said, winking to Finnick.

"D-don't oversell my cookin', it ain't five-star stuff!" Finnick mumbled as he handed out bowls to the girls.

"If you'll excuse us," Vivienne said to Finnick and the girls.

"Okay Viv, good night!"

"'Night Viv!"

"Good night, girls!" Vivienne smirked, "-and if you can't be _good_ -"

"-be _good_ at it!" the girls chimed.

Nick rolled his eyes and smiled.

"We'll go eat in the den," Vivienne led Nick to the back of the apartment.

Nick sat himself down on the couch.

Vivienne sat next to him.

"I can smell your stress, so just eat your dinner first. We'll talk after."

Nick nodded and tried a forkful of the risotto.

Vivienne laughed at the surprise on his face.

"He's a great cook, huh?" she said between mouthfuls.

"Mm!"

They finished their meals in silence.

"We should invite Judy to try Finn's cooking some time," Vivienne said, setting their empty bowls down on the coffee table.

She looked at Nick.

"Ma -"

"Nick -"

"Ladies first," Nick did a mock bow.

Vivienne rolled her eyes. "Pfft, that'll be a long wait!"

She took a deep breath.

"Nick, I fucked up. I told Judy to go back on her hormone meds," she said, voice soft.

"I know," Nick replied.

"She told you?"

Nick shook his head.

He told her about the events of the morning.

"Ah," Vivienne said.

Neither spoke for a few moments.

They could hear the girls' muffled conversation through the walls.

"...I'm sorry, Nick. It wasn't my place," Vivienne said.

"I was trying to be a good parent, but I overdid it. I know you're both adults."

She fiddled with her wedding ring.

"I guess my own past with bunnies made me prejudiced. I was worried she would just use you like a fu-," she stopped herself at Nick's frown.

"-to scratch an itch," she finished.

Nick shrugged.

"Your heart was in the right place?" he offered.

Vivienne nudged him. "It's creepy when you hear your kid repeating the shit you say!"

"I think that Zootopia is grateful I don't repeat _everything_ you say!" he said with a grin.

She pinched his arm playfully.

"So, what did you 'mess up?'"

"...Judy is staying overnight at the hospital."

"What?!" Vivienne jumped to her feet.

"That should've been the first thing out of your fucking mouth! What happened?"

"I-it's okay, Ma. She just tore her sutures," Nick said, paws up in a placating gesture.

"Oh."

"Yeah, apparently that happens with overactive mammals sometimes. I've got some sedatives from her doc," he held up the paper bag, "-so she can rest and get

better."

Vivienne sighed.

"I shouldn't have invited you two out yesterday. I didn't think it was serious."

Nick shook his head.

"It really shouldn't be, if the patient follows the doctors' orders," he said.

He got up off the couch.

"I know you and Finn have done so much for us already, but I wanna grab some stuff for Judy. Would you be up for a visit to Walrus-Mart?"

"Ooh, I can go in my PJ's!" Vivienne clapped her hands with glee.

"You're reinforcing stereotypes, Ma."

They heard the jingle of keys.

"Sorry, I overheard. Big ears and all," Finnick said with a grin. "Ready to roll?"

Nick returned the smile. "Thanks, buddy."

* * *

The next morning, Nick pushed Judy's wheelchair inside the cottage.

"This is better, hey Fluff? No risk of tearing your stitches in this ride!" he said.

He gave Zander a thumbs up, and the car drove away.

"Shame it's on loan from the hospital, or I'd paint some flames on it!" Nick said.

Judy crossed her arms.

"I don't need to be in this stupid... stupid," she began.

"...wheelchair?"

"That's what I was gonna say!" Judy glared up at Nick.

He shook his head.

"It's okay, Carrots. You're supposed to be loopy so you can recover."

"I'm not loopy!"

Nick burst out laughing.

"What...?" Judy slurred.

"You have one ear up, one down!" Nick said between chuckles, "That is so cute!"

"You better refrain from calling me... what did you call me again?"

"The best cop ever," Nick said, not skipping a beat.

"Oh. Thanks. You're nice. Did I ever tell you that?" Judy gave him a goofy smile.

"Only forty-three times on the drive home," Nick said, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Okay," he stopped outside of her room, with 'Judy's Room' painted (and smudged) on the door.

"Ma and Finn helped me get your room ready for you to recuperate," he said and opened the door.

The delight on her face was worth the lack of sleep.

All of her stuffed animals from home were arranged on her bed.

She now had a night stand, piled high with crime novels.

There was a small TV and a stack of DVD's.

A framed picture of her newspaper cover, ' _Hero Hopps!_ ' hung on the wall.

"Thanks, Nick! It looks so cozy!" Judy beamed at him.

"The cushions are probably over the top, but Ma insisted," Nick said.

"I love it!" Judy went to stand up.

"Uh-uh," Nick scooted the wheelchair close to the bed, "-no walkies, you're on bed rest."

"Aww, okay," Judy said and eased herself into the double bed.

Nick moved some of the stuffed animals to the side.

 _She looks so tiny!_

"Ooh, I love these cushions!" Judy said and squeezed a smiling carrot to her chest.

"Huh. One point to Ma. So, what would you like for breakfast?"

"Waffles, my good mammal!" Judy flopped onto her back.

Nick did an exaggerated bow, "Very well, Miss Hopps. If you need me in the meantime, you have this," he produced a little bronze bell and gave it a ring.

"You got a bell!" Judy laughed.

"Use it responsibly," Nick said with a wry smile.

"You're due for your meds, too. I'll get you a glass of orange juice."

* * *

"I'm sorry the waffles were a bit burned," Nick said as he took away Judy's breakfast tray.

"Nah they were like, seriously the best, the bestest ever..." Judy said.

Her eyes fluttered closed.

"Okay, sleepy head, time for a rest. Ring the bell if you need me," he turned to leave.

Eyes still closed, Judy grabbed Nick's paw.

"...thanks, Nick."

Nick smiled.

"Anytime, Carrots."

He set the tray on the kitchen counter and pulled out his phone.

He typed:

 _'All good. Bunny home and asleep. Thanks again for your help. I owe ya.'_

He sent it to Finnick and his mother.

 _Ding-ding-ding!_

Nick rolled his eyes and walked back to Judy's room.

"What do you need?" he leaned against the door frame.

"A hug," Judy said. Her eyes were still closed but her arms were stretched out expectantly.

Nick sighed.

"You're drugged, Judy. I'm not going to lay a paw on you if I can help it."

"'kay, then come and lie down next to me," Judy patted the right side of the bed.

Nick opened his mouth to argue.

Nothing came out.

He walked over and lay down, facing away from her.

"...happy now?" he mumbled.

He grabbed one of the crime novels from the nightstand to read the blurb on the back.

Judy grabbed him by the paw and pulled him over until his head was resting on her chest.

The book fell to the floor.

"Now I'm happy," Judy said.

Nick was torn.

Half of him screamed:

' _Get off her, creep!'_

The other half listened:

 _Thud-thud-thud-thud._

 _It's so fast!_

"Hear my heart?" she said and stroked one of his ears.

"...yeah," he whispered.

 _I should really move._

Her paw on his ear stopped.

She had fallen asleep.

Nick's eyelids grew heavy.

Her heartbeat was so soothing.

He'd just rest his eyes.

Just for five minutes.

* * *

"...Ha,"

Nick stirred.

 _When did I roll over onto my back?_

 _That feels really good._

 _What is that?_

"Ha..."

 _There's something on top of me._

Nick opened his eyes.

"Judy?! What the hell are you doing?!"

It looked like she didn't hear him at all.

"Judy?" he waved a paw in front of her face, then clicked his fingers.

 _She's not awake!_

Was this the 'peculiar behavior' the doctor mentioned?

She was still fully clothed just,

 _-'using me to scratch an itch'?_

 _Shit!_

 _What do I do?!_

As gently as he could, he pushed her off him.

She gave an unhappy moan before putting her paw down her-

 _OKAY TIME TO GO!_

Nick bolted to his bedroom and shut the door.

His heart raced.

The blood rushed back to his head.

 _Did you really want her to stop?_

 _Of course not, but she's drugged!_

He sat on the edge of his bed and put his head in his paws.

 _I'm not going to lay a **paw** on her!_

He closed his eyes.

 _Calm down, you did the right thing._

He lay back on his bed.

 _Deep breaths._

He could get this under control-

-Judy's panting was so loud he could hear it through the wall.

 _I shouldn't be listening to this._

He covered his ears.

Then his nose.

Then his ears again.

He got up and marched to the bathroom.

"Ooooh!" Judy moaned.

 _Another cold shower for the monk?_

 _Yep._

 _Tundratown cold._


	13. Feverish

_Ding-ding-ding!_

Nick put his head under his pillow.

"No," he mumbled.

 _Ding-ding-ding!_

"I said _no!_ "

"But, but I rang the bell!" Judy called out from her room.

"Fool me once, Carrots. I'm not coming in there unless you're dying," Nick said.

Silence.

"...I'm dying!"

Nick lifted his head out from under his pillow.

"So what are you dying of _this_ time?"

"Um..."

 _Ding-ding-ding!_

"For the love of _God,_ Carrots, go to sleep!"

He pulled his pillow over his head and covered his ears.

"But I'm not tired!" Judy wailed.

"You will be when your pills kick in," Nick said.

"But I want a _hug_! Why won't you come and _hug_ me?"

Nick took the pillow off his face, flushed.

"...I think you know why."

"I've put my clothes back on, I swear!"

"I fell for that last time, little _naturist!_ "

He flopped over onto his stomach.

Silence.

 _Ding-ding-ding!_

Nick screamed obscenities into his pillow.

"Aww!" Judy drawled, "-does me being nekkid make you _uncomfortable?"_

She laughed and laughed.

...then snored.

"Thank God."

Nick turned on his side and closed his eyes.

His head felt like it was trapped in a vice.

The past five days had been a nightmare.

He hoped that Judy's check up tomorrow would go well.

When she slept, things were fine.

However, when she _was_ awake, even if only for an hour or two...

At one point he almost gave her the hormone suppressants.

He forced himself to wait until tomorrow, hoping her leg would have healed enough to not need the sedatives.

His face was still burning.

Nick sighed and got up, turning the door handle so it wouldn't make any noise.

In the bathroom, he splashed his face and looked in the mirror.

"Ugh."

The reflection looked as bad as he felt.

He padded out to the kitchen and downed two pain relievers.

He shivered.

 _Back to bed._

* * *

Vivienne groaned as her alarm went off.

She smacked the clock into submission and put on her bathrobe.

 _Must. Have. Coffee._

She made her way downstairs and into the kitchen.

"Morning Viv! Wow, you're up early!" the ewe said as she got herself a bowl of cereal.

Vivienne pressed a button on the coffee machine.

"Morning Holly. Wish I was a morning mammal like you."

"Well, it has its downsides. I have to rely on coffee to stay awake for the shows!" Holly said with a grin. "Or you'd have a boring Little Bo _Peep_ show," she winked.

Vivienne chuckled and took a sip of her coffee.

 _Ah, sweet nectar of the gods!_

"Morning Viv, morning Holly," the twin ferrets said in unison.

"Morning."

Heavy footsteps came closer. "Viv, why so early?"

"Morning Urbeth," Vivienne said to the polar bear. "I haven't heard from my son in nearly a week. Finn's going to pick me up and we'll go and see how he's doing."

Vivienne put her cup in the dishwasher.

"Okay, time to make myself decent," she said.

"Gonna take more than a shower with that mouth of yours!" Holly called out.

Vivienne grinned slyly from around the door.

"See you next Tuesday!"

The laughter rang out behind her as she made her way to the bathroom.

Vivienne re-combed her fur after using the dryer.

Once she was dressed, she looked in the mirror.

She put on some mascara.

A little eyeliner.

Some red-tinted lip gloss.

 _Why?_

She wasn't hustling anymore.

The ring on her finger pinched, so she twisted it.

Vivienne shook herself and spritzed a little perfume onto her neck.

 _Gotta at least_ look _classy, right?_

For the girls.

She should lead by example.

 _Yeah, that's why._

She sighed and picked up her handbag in the hall.

"You look nice today, Viv!" A squirrel smiled at her as she came down the stairs.

"Thank you, sweetie. I'm off now."

Vivienne locked the door behind her.

"Yo, Viv."

Vivienne jumped a little.

She looked down to see Finn at the bottom of the stairs.

"You goin' on a date or something?" Finnick said. "You seem dolled up."

Vivienne rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, everyone is just lining up for a date with _this_ old has-been."

"They ain't?" Finnick said.

She looked at him.

"Uh, _hell_ no?"

"...their loss," Finnick mumbled.

 _There's that weird smell again._

"I-I need to call Nick to see if he's home," Vivienne fished around in her handbag and pulled out her phone.

* * *

" _Nick?"_

Nick's throat burned.

"Hi Ma," he rasped.

" _So you_ are _sick!"_

"Really? I had _no_ idea," Nick managed through a cough.

" _Like a cold? The flu?"_

"Yeah. Or the _plague,_ " Nick said.

He heard muffled conversation.

" _We'll go to the drugstore on our way over."_

Nick rubbed his eyes.

"Ma, you don't have to-"

" _You're sick. You need shit to get better. We're coming over."_

Nick sighed, too ill to argue.

"...thanks, Ma."

" _Hang in there."_

She hung up.

Nick wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and sat up with a groan

 _Mama's boy._

He shuffled into the kitchen for a glass of water.

 _Better check on Judy._

Nick peered around the door to her room.

She was still fast asleep from her morning dose.

 _Thank God._

He shut the door quietly behind him.

He let the blanket fall to the floor.

 _Too damn hot, now._

He heard the mail carrier put something in the mailbox.

 _I don't have a shirt on._

 _Screw it._

He dragged himself outside and got the letter.

 _No junk mail, that's a nice change._

He opened the envelope and chuckled.

The chuckle turned into a laugh.

The laughter turned into a coughing fit.

* * *

"Nick?"

Vivienne got out of Finnick's van and pushed open the gate to the front yard.

"Yo, Nick! Get it together, man!"

Finnick raced over and thumped his paw on Nick's back.

"Come on back inside," Vivienne put his arm around her shoulder.

Nick flopped onto the couch, laughter gone.

He shivered.

Vivienne grabbed the blanket from the floor and threw it over him.

"Why didn't you call us earlier?" she said, ears down.

She put a paw to Nick's forehead.

"You are boiling!"

Vivienne dashed out of the room and returned with a cool washcloth.

She placed it gently on Nick's forehead.

"...Nick?"

He was asleep.

Vivienne sighed.

 _More likely that he passed out_

"I should go and see if Judy is alright," she walked over to the door and opened it.

"She okay?" Finnick asked.

"Yeah, she's sleeping too."

The two of them tidied the place in silence.

Finnick got to work in the kitchen.

By lunch time, he had a pot of soup gently boiling.

He found Vivienne in the laundry.

"So you figure Nick overdid it lookin' after her?" he said, his voice soft.

Vivienne pressed a button and the washing machine whirred to life.

"That's my guess. But how hard can it be to look after a sleeping bunny?"

 _Ding-ding-ding!_

"A bell?" Finnick said.

Vivienne shrugged.

"I guess she's awake."

She walked back to Judy's room and opened the door.

"Hey, hun. What do you nee- oh."

Finnick walked over to join her.

"What is it, Viv? Oh _HELL_ no Fuzz! Put some damn clothes on!"

Finnick covered his eyes with his ears.

Vivienne laughed.

"Poor Nick, this must have done him in!"

She stifled her laughter with a paw over her muzzle, "I'll bet he's got a case of the _blueberries_!"

Finnick shook his head but chuckled despite himself.

"Hiya Viv! Finnick!" Judy beamed, "-come gimme a hug!"

"She's high as a kite, ain't she?" Finnick said, facing away.

Vivienne walked over to her.

"Nick said that the doctor had prescribed sedatives," she picked up the cups and plates around the room.

"I guess that, plus no hormone pills makes for a future member of the Mystic Springs Oasis," she said.

"Oof!" Vivienne was caught off guard when Judy threw her arms around her neck.

"Hi, _Nudie-Judy_. Yes, hugs are nice, thank you. We're going to put some clothes on you now, okay?"

"Ohhh whhyyy?" Judy groaned.

" _I_ don't care, but it seems that two delicate gentle-mammals have had their fill of naked bunnies," she smirked at Finnick.

He stayed turned around but flipped her the bird.

Judy grumbled as Vivienne put a nightie on her.

Before long, she had drifted back to sleep.

"Wow, must be heavy shit she's on," Vivienne shut the door.

"...you're telling me," Nick said from the couch.

"Sorry, I guess I dozed off," he said.

Vivienne gave him a glass of water.

"Here, you'll feel better after these," she handed him cold and flu tablets.

Nick downed them and lay back.

"What's that you've got there?" Vivienne gestured to the paper clutched in his paw.

He handed it to her.

"You can read it if you want."

Finnick took it.

"I'll have read it by the time Viv gets her glasses out," he chuckled, prompting an indignant huff from Vivienne.

His eyes widened.

"An offer to take the ZPD written and physical tests?"

"That's what you wanted, right?" Vivienne asked Nick.

"Yeah. But the tests are in four days time," he said.

"Shit," Vivienne said.

"Ditto," Nick agreed.

He lurched up into a sitting position.

"What time is it?!"

"Uh, 1:30," Finnick answered.

"Oh crap! Judy's check up at the hospital is at two o'clock!"

Nick kicked off the blanket and got up.

"Woah."

Finnick and Vivienne rushed to either side of him as he swayed.

Vivienne looked at Finnick.

He nodded.

"Seems like you need a check up yourself. C'mon, let's get you in the van."

They walked Nick outside and lay him down on Finnick's bed.

Finnick went back inside and turned the stove off.

Vivienne collected an unconscious Judy and wheeled her out in the wheelchair.

She picked her up and bundled her into the van with Nick, then slid into the front seat.

* * *

"It has completely healed," Dr Tibron said with a smile.

He threw Judy's bandage in the trash, "-so she won't need the sedatives anymore."

"Thank God," Nick wheezed.

"You don't looks so good, though," the beaver said, eyeing Nick up and down.

"You should get a check up with the primary care physician on the fourth floor."

"Fourth floor, got it. Thank you, doctor," Vivienne shook his paw.

"You're very welcome."

A loud snore echoed throughout the room.

Dr Tibron chuckled.

"She is a good patient!"

"When she's asleep," Nick muttered.

The doctor opened the door.

"Oh hello, sir?"

"Judith!" Stu cried and lifted Judy out of the wheelchair and held her close.

Judy didn't wake.

"Excuse me? Who are you?" Vivienne put a paw on Stu's arm.

"Don't touch me!" he hissed.

Finnick's tail bristled.

"Mr Hopps," Nick said calmly, "-what are you doing here?"

"I'm taking my daughter home!"

Doctor Tibron opened the folder in his paws.

"It says here that she listed Nicholas Wilde as her emergency contact," he said.

"I'm her _father_. Here, her birth certificate," he pushed a piece of paper under the beaver's nose.

"Well, I'll need to see some other ID-"

Stu produced his driver's license.

"So I'm taking her _home_."

Nick coughed, "-does Mrs Hopps know about this?"

"...she does," came a feminine voice.

Nick's ears fell.

"Gideon told me about you two being... a couple," Bonnie walked over to Stu and stroked Judy's head.

"I'm real grateful that you looked after Judy, but I think she needs to spend some time with her family," Bonnie said.

Doctor Tibron threw his paws up.

"Legally, they have the right. Since Judy can't argue otherwise," he trailed off.

Vivienne and Finnick looked at Nick.

"If I know Judy," Nick said with a smile, "-once those tranquilizers wear off, she'll be back."

"...we'll see," Stu said, his voice tight.

He turned to the doctor.

"You should get those three tested for the vulpine immunodeficiency virus," he whispered.

"Oh that is lowest-" Nick began.

He saw the mammals gathered around them in the hall take several steps back.

"He's exhibiting symptoms!" A pig called out.

"What? It's just a cold!" Nick tried to keep his voice even.

"Isolation unit, we need containment on three vulpes and other mammals exposed," Dr Tibron spoke very softly on his phone in his office.

The three of them heard.

"You can't be serious!" Vivienne said.

"It's just a precaution," Dr Tibron put his paws up, "-I'll have to be quarantined myself."

Vivienne glared at him. "This is species profiling!"

"No! It uh, it's just a precaution! He could have an unknown strain of influenza."

"So what about _them_?" Nick pointed to where Judy and her parents were.

They were gone.

The whispers grew louder.

"Predators? Why am I not surprised."

"Think they'll go savage?"

"V.I.V? Ugh, filthy foxes."

Finnick growled.

"Look at these!" he pulled his ears, "You think these just for show? We can _hear_ you!"

The mammals shuffled away, replaced by medical staff in HAZMAT suits.

"It's for your own good."

"So just come quietly."

"It's just a precaution," said another.

Finnick growled again.

"Finn," Nick put a paw on his head.

"Ma and I have been through this before, with Dad," he said.

He reached his other paw to his mother's and held it.

"They'll just tranq us if we resist," Vivienne whispered to Finnick.

Appalled at their submission, Finnick's ears fell back.

"Let's prove them wrong, big guy," Nick said.

Finnick sighed and nodded.

"Take those two to quarantine," said a doctor.

"Take the symptomatic one into isolation."

Vivienne rushed to hug Nick but was held back.

"You don't want to increase your exposure, ma'am."

"It's alright, Ma," Nick smiled.

" _It's alright, darling," John smiled._

Vivienne watched helplessly as Nick fell to the ground.

The medical staff buzzed around him like flies.

Icy fear gripped her chest.

It was just like his father, twenty-five years ago.


	14. On Burrowed Time

Every time Judy opened her eyes, what she saw was framed with fog.

Fog so thick that it choked her into oblivion.

Blurred images mixed together with dreams.

Or were they memories?

Trays of food.

Clouds and grass.

Carrot soup - the sweet aroma making her nose twitch.

A blooming tree and the taste of chocolate on her tongue.

The food was half-tasted, then back to oblivion once more.

Muffled voices.

"...Stu! What...

...are you doing?!"

"Calm down!

...just to help her sleep!"

"How could you?! _No more!_ "

The fog dissipated.

Judy's mind took wobbly steps back to consciousness.

She turned over and snuggled her pillow.

The scent of lavender drifted around her.

 _It's so much like my old room at Bunnyburrow._

Her eyes creaked open.

It _was_ her old room!

 _What am I doing in here?!_

Her heart hammered in its haste to catch up to her head.

She took a deep breath.

 _Okay, think. What's the last thing I remember?_

Nick had been angry with her.

 _That's right, Gideon and the pills._

But they still went into the ZPD together, they worked on her report.

The rest was a blur.

 _Nick!_

She threw the covers off and pulled up her nightie.

Running a paw over her healed leg, Judy saw that most of the fur had grown back.

She got up, flung her closet open and pulled on some old jeans and a shirt.

As soon as she opened the door-

"Hi, Judy!"

"Juuuude!"

"Judith, hi!"

Her siblings gathered around her in the hallway.

"Hi everyone," she smiled at them, tousling a head or two, "-good to see you too, but I _really_ need to talk to Mom and Dad."

"Dad's on the farm, but Mom's in the kitchen."

Judy navigated a sea of fur through the brightly-colored burrow.

"Judy! You're finally up!" Bonnie called out over the commotion, wiping her hands on her apron.

She bustled up to her daughter and hugged her.

Judy looked at the table.

"That newspaper, is that from today?" Judy pulled away from her mother and picked up the paper.

"No, it's yesterday's," Bonnie replied.

Judy frowned at the date.

 _This doesn't add up._

The once pleasant smells of the kitchen had become cloying.

"Mom, do you know where my phone is?"

 _What if Nick tried to call? Or the ZPD?_

"You didn't... bring it with you," Bonnie said, busying herself in the kitchen once more.

Judy raised an eyebrow.

 _That doesn't sound like me._

She tried to shut out the noise and sat down to read the paper, to get her bearings.

The front page read: _'Zootopia prepares for the election! More on page three.'_

She turned the page.

 _'Mayor Bellwether returns to office.'_

Judy felt the bile rise in her throat.

 _No!_

Her eyes fell over the words, each a stinging blow.

 _'Case thrown out.'_

 _'Lack of evidence.'_

Her ears fell.

 _'Officer Judy Hopps a no-show to testify at court hearing.'_

Cold dread seeped into her bones.

She saw that the article was written by the same journalist who wrote her 'Hero Hopps' story.

The portrait showed an older bunny, a chain around her neck with a little bell attached.

Just like the goat at the diner.

" _-only cut off one of the hydra's heads,"_ Nick had said.

Judy clenched her jaw.

She _had_ to fix this!

"What is it, Bun-Bun?" Bonnie came over to the table.

She flinched at the scowl on Judy's face.

"Mom, how did I get here?"

Bonnie opened her mouth, then shut it.

She never was a good liar.

"Mom," Judy repeated, putting a gentle paw on her mothers' arm.

"Tell me."

* * *

Stu patted the soil back into place.

"And that's why it's very important that we don't over water them, okay kids?"

"Yes, daddy!" Young voices chorused.

"Good. Now run along, your mother will have lunch ready."

Stu smiled. All his children were finally safe.

He whistled as he made his way slowly back to the house.

He enjoyed the sun. The fresh air.

The furious daughter sprinting towards him-

"DAD!"

He cowered.

 _I knew I should have tried to slip another dose in!_

But Bonnie had given him such an earful about it.

It didn't matter now, anyway.

He'd done his job.

* * *

Judy stopped a few paces away.

"Why are you doing that? You really think I would... _hit_ you?!"

 _Even if I really want to right now!_

Stu brushed himself off and straightened. "Well, you had been hanging around with some shady characters."

The disgust on her face made his ears droop.

"The only 'shady' character in this picture is _you_ , Dad!"

Stu looked genuinely clueless. "Me? What did I do?"

Judy looked at him, baffled.

 _Not doing much to erase the dumb bunny stereotype, Dad!_

"Oh, I don't know. How about _kidnapping and drugging_ me?!"

"Your mother told you?"

Judy's foot thumped into the dirt. "You made me miss a crucial court date I didn't even know I was supposed to attend!"

Stu shook his head. "Come on, I hardly think a parent bringing his child back to her rightful home is 'kidnapping'!"

Judy opened her mouth to explain but realized she'd be wasting her breath.

" _Why_ , Dad?"

Stu twiddled his thumbs.

"I was uh, worried about you!"

Judy's ears twitched.

"I thought you never wanted to speak to me again," she said.

Stu took her paw in both of his. "I knew that wasn't _you_ , that was the influence of those _predators_! So I figured if I took you away from that influence..." he trailed off.

Judy's ears fell. "Dad, do you realize what you've done?!"

He crossed his arms. "I've done nothing but be a good father!"

* * *

Judy froze as the wind carried the familiar sound to her ears.

 _Ding, ding, ding._

" _Fear **always** works!"_

Judy's breath caught in her throat.

She saw the band on her father's wrist.

A little bell was attached.

"What is it, Jude? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Stu said.

 _It's not him, it's her._

 _Bellwether._

"I'd better go help Mom with lunch," she muttered and sprinted back to the house.

* * *

Nick sighed and lay back on the hospital bed.

The sheets were so starched it was like sleeping on a pile of newspapers.

He knew _that_ first hand.

He'd grown thoroughly sick of hospitals, of the smells and the noises.

The isolation was the worst part.

He looked at his phone on the nightstand.

Still silent.

 _Judy._

His chest felt hollow.

"Three days," he muttered over the drone of the heart monitor.

Her phone was still at the cottage.

 _Surely she'd find a payphone or something._

Did she know his number off by heart?

He missed her, more than he ever thought possible.

Maybe it was just the fever.

"Knock knock?"

Nick's face split into a grin.

Yesterday, they had finally taken him out of the isolation ward.

He could have visitors.

"Hi, Ma! Finn!" he said.

 _I've never been so happy to see the two of them!_

Vivienne walked over and ruffled the fur between his ears.

"Hey! Good to know we're not all disgusting Petri dishes of V.I.V, huh?" she said with a smirk.

"Yeah, you're already full of _yourself,_ " Nick wiggled his eyebrows.

Vivienne rolled her eyes. "You act like you're the first idiot to come up with that joke," she leaned over and hugged him.

"Hey, big guy. How's the cooking?" Nick pointed to the plastic container Finnick was holding.

"He's been baking cakes!" Vivienne said.

She and Finnick smirked.

Nick licked his lips. "I _thought_ I smelled something good! Gimme gimme gimme!"

Finnick raised an eyebrow. "Do you _really_ want it?"

"Uh, yeah! Hospital food is crap!"

"Okay, you asked for it!" Finnick pulled the lid off.

Nick shut his eyes and breathed in.

"Mmm, walnuts, cream cheese... carrots!"

He opened his eyes and scowled.

A flash made him blink.

"Gotcha!" Finnick had taken a photo on his phone.

He and Vivienne burst out laughing.

"Very funny, guys."

The cake was white with orange frosting in the shape of a _very_ naked bunny in a provocative pose.

Written in neat cursive below were the words:

 _'Eat me!'_

Nick face-pawed, the blush creeping up his neck.

Vivienne was struggling to breathe from the laughter.

"You were right, Finn. SO worth it!" she said.

She took a deep breath to regain some composure.

"Anyway, this is from me," Vivienne set a vase on the window sill.

Nick shook his head. "Why flowers, Ma?"

Vivienne looked at the daffodils.

"That's... just the shit a parent does, right?" she said.

"Why are you asking _me_?" Nick said with a chuckle.

"Fuck 'em, then," Vivienne called out in the hallway to a passing nurse. "Hey, these flowers need a loving home. Maybe on the maternity ward?"

"Can do!" the pig took the flowers.

Nick smiled.

 _Aww, she's a good nut, this mother of mine._

He saw Finnick looking up at her too.

 _That smell..._

Nick's nose twitched.

Finnick noticed Nick staring at him and jumped like he'd been electrocuted.

"What's wrong with you, Finn?" Vivienne said.

"N-nothin'!"

Nick quirked an eyebrow.

 _What's up his butt?_

He jumped when his phone vibrated.

He didn't recognize the number.

 _It might be Judy!_

He'd gotten his hopes up before.

It turned out to only be his carrier asking if he was happy with his service.

It was _not_ a good day for that caller.

Nick cleared his throat and answered it.

"...hello?"

" _Nick!"_

He sat straight up.

"Judy!" he beamed.

His pillow fell to the floor.

"Aw! Finn, look at his tail go! Just like a kit!" Vivienne said, eyes filled with glee.

Nick smirked and pointed. "Hypocrites."

Vivienne and Finnick looked down and were flustered to find their own tails wagging just a little.

"Judy," he continued.

" _I'm sorry I-"_

Silence.

Nick put the lid back on the container of cake.

 _It would be easier if Finnick wasn't such a damn good artist!_

"You first!" Nick said, sitting on his tail to stop it from wagging.

" _...okay, um. I'm in Bunnyburrow."_

Nick nodded. "I know."

" _How do you know?" Judy said._

Nick blinked. "Because your parents took you from here at the hospital, remember?"

" _...no, I don't remember. Wait, 'here'? You're in a hospital?!"_

"Uh, yeah. I have the flu. I'm okay, though," he said.

Nick saw his Ma and Finn making manic hand gestures.

He chuckled, "-is it okay for me to put on speakerphone? Someone wants to say hello."

" _Ooh is your mom there?"_ Judy said.

Vivienne sat on the bed. "Yep. Hi, _Nudie-Judy_!"

"MA!"

" _...um, what?"_

Vivienne and Finnick chuckled but restrained themselves.

"Are you alright, hon?" Vivienne's tone became serious.

" _I'm fine. My brain is still playing catch up. Have you seen or read the news?"_ Judy said.

Nick's ears slid back.

"Bellwether," he growled.

" _I know. I need to get back to Zootopia!"_

Nick swung his legs off the bed. "I can get the train and come get you-"

Finnick put a paw on Nick's shoulder. "For real? Use your brain. You ain't better yet."

Vivienne nodded. "He's right, Nick."

Nick opened his mouth to argue, but Judy spoke first.

" _Nick, it's okay. I'll get the train,"_ Judy said.

"You think your dad will let you leave?" Nick said.

" _It's not him I'm worried about, it's Bellwether's influence. I'll explain later."_

"Okay," Nick said.

" _Don't worry,_ _ **nothing**_ _is going to stop me from getting back to you!"_ Judy said.

Nick felt a warmth spreading right to the top of his ear tips.

He forgot where he was for a minute until Finnick gave him a friendly punch in the arm.

"Uh, um, s-so what's the plan?" he rolled his eyes at his mother putting her fingers in an 'L' shape on her forehead.

" _The trains run hourly, so if I can make it to the 11 o'clock train, I should get to Central at about 1:30 p.m."_

Vivienne and Finnick shared a look.

Finnick nodded. "We'll pick her up and bring her to you. That cool, Fuzz?"

" _Yeah. Thanks, guys."_

"No thanks required, you're a part of the family," Vivienne said, smiling at Nick.

The phone went quiet.

"Judy, you there?" Nick said.

He heard sniffling.

" _Thanks, guys. Are you alright now Nick? If you've been in hospital-"_

"I'm getting better every day, Carrots. Seriously. Are you okay? How's your leg?"

" _Oh, it's like it never happened!"_

Nick breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad to hear it."

" _I better go, I'm borrowing my sister's phone. Oh, and don't tell anyone I'm coming. I don't know how deep Bellwether has her hooves in the ZPD."_

Nick nodded. "Got it."

" _I can't wait to see you... guys!"_

Vivienne rolled her eyes and went to say something but Nick shushed her.

"Same here, Carrots. Be safe."

" _I will. See you soon, Nick."_

The call ended.

A nurse knocked on the door.

"Mr Wilde? It's time for your meds," the nurse said.

"Thank you, _warden_ ," Nick joked.

Vivienne picked up the container and took the lid off.

"Care for some cake?"

The pig did not look amused.

* * *

Judy took a deep breath and bit her trembling bottom lip.

 _What was that saying? 'The best families are the ones we choose for ourselves?'_

"Your ears are red, Judy!"

Judy reached up and felt her ears.

They _were_ quite hot.

"Thanks for letting me borrow your phone," she said and handed it back to her sister.

She closed the bedroom door.

Her memories were still muddled, but hearing Nick's voice again made her feel like she could take on the world.

Which was good, because that's _exactly_ what she was going to do.

She dashed back into the kitchen. "Mom, I'm getting the train back home."

"Oh, okay... don't you want to stay for lunch?" Bonnie's ears drooped.

Stu closed the front door behind him. "She's not going _anywhere_ ," he said, dusting his hands off.

The endless chatter finally ceased.

Judy steeled herself.

"Dad, you can't stop me," she side-stepped around him only for him to lay a paw on her shoulder.

It brought her no comfort.

"How are you gonna get to the train station, huh? I'm not driving you, and you can't take any of the trucks!"

Judy removed his paw. "I called your bluff last time, Dad. I will _walk_ there."

Bonnie put down the dishrag. "Judy, it's a five-mile walk!"

"So? Unless you are offering me a ride?"

Bonnie shook her head. "Judy, I can't-"

"I suggest that you think for _yourself_ , Mom." Judy said.

Bonnie wilted.

Stu grabbed Judy by the wrist. "We're just doing what's best for you!" he cried.

"If you _truly_ knew me," Judy turned around, fury burning in her gut, "-then you would know that what you've done is the _worst,_ " she said, and shook herself free of Stu's grasp.

The silence was only interrupted by the wail of a baby bunny.

Judy looked at the kitchen clock. "We can talk this out later. Now is _not_ the time."

With that, she bolted out the door.

* * *

Judy soon realized that she needed to pace herself - her fitness levels weren't what they were.

 _Breathe._

It was hard on her feet without the support straps her uniform had.

Harder still on hot asphalt.

The dry, prickly grass on the roadside wasn't much better.

 _Breathe._

She couldn't miss the train.

Nick was waiting for her.

 _Nick..._

She felt a burst of energy at the thought and she pushed through the pain.

 _Left, right._

 _One, two._

 _Breathe._

 _In and out._

Her mouth felt so dry. She ran her parched tongue over her cracked lips.

 _Need water._

She focused on the dot on the horizon.

The train station.

 _I'll make it!_

* * *

Judy panted.

 _What if..._

 _...what if I don't make it?_

 _I can't call them to say I'll be late._

Him, Vivienne and Finnick: her family.

She wouldn't let them down.

So she dug deep and commanded her aching legs to keep moving.

Her clothes were drenched in sweat.

Even her feet-

Judy stopped.

She stood on one leg and tilted her foot.

It was bleeding freely.

She shook herself.

 _Think of it as training to get back on the force! Back to it!_

She ran.

And ran.

If she had been prepared, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

But she was dehydrated, bleeding and out of condition.

Her breath came in heaving gulps.

 _I'm not going to make it in time!_

The ground vibrated through her feet as a truck came up the road towards her.

She moved to the side of the road.

The truck slowed to a stop.

"Judy?"

"...Gideon?"

Gideon pulled the handbrake and got out of the truck.

"Are you alright?" he said, seeing the blood matting the fur on her feet.

"I... need to... get to the station," she wheezed.

"Get in," Gideon opened the passenger door.

Judy gave him a wary look.

 _No sign of any bells..._

"Don't take me back... to my parents!" she said, holding her side where a stitch pinched her ribs.

Gideon shook his head. "I won't. If you wanna get back to that fella so bad, they can't stop ya. I won't neither."

Judy climbed in.

"It's ten minutes 'til the next train. We might make it," Gideon said.

Judy nearly fell off her seat when he accelerated.

"I was into cars before bakin'. This ride is faster than she looks," Gideon grinned at her.

His truck sped towards the station.

"I put my big 'ol paw in it again, I'm sorry Judy," Gideon said.

"...what?" she croaked.

"I told your Ma that you and Mr Wilde were together. I thought it was a good thing, frankly. Figured your folks would be pleased."

He took his eyes off the road for a second to look at her.

"Here," he tossed her a half empty bottle of water.

Judy downed the lot in seconds.

"...thanks," she said, still gasping.

Gideon continued. "Guess I shot myself in the foot, really. I was just on the way to pick up the last order of fruit and veg from your folks."

"What?" Judy said, wiping the sweat out of her eyes.

"You seen the news, right?"

"Only... some of it," Judy replied.

Gideon sighed, his ears sliding back.

"Mr and Mrs H thought it'd be 'prudent' to suspend our business relationship, given the political climate," he said.

Judy let out a frustrated sigh.

"I'm sorry, Gideon."

"Ain't your fault! If anything, it's mine – shoulda minded my own business."

Judy balled her paws into fists, "I'm going to fix this, Gideon."

"I'm glad you don't know when to quit!" Gideon said with a grin.

They chuckled.

Suddenly, Gideon slammed on the brakes.

They were at the station.

The train was already there.

"I'm gonna miss it!" Judy cried.

"No, you ain't!" He grabbed Judy around the waist, flung open the door and sprinted to the train.

The train doors were closing.

"Hold the doors!" Gideon cried out, ducking between mammals waiting on the platform.

The doors reopened.

He set Judy down in the carriage.

She gave him a quick hug.

"Gideon, thank you," she said.

"I'm a long ways from making up for all I put you through," Gideon smiled. "Good luck, Judy."

He stood back and the doors closed. He gave her a thumbs up.

She returned the gesture, her other paw resting heavily on the glass as the train pulled away from the station.

"Do you have a ticket-" the jaguar conductor took one look at Judy's feet and gave her a sympathetic look. "On the house," he said.

Judy managed to nod her thanks before slumping to the floor. She made it.

The world was broken again.

Judy was determined to fix it.

* * *

A/N: All future non-critical authors notes, musings, FAQ's and Fanart (omg!) will be here: armae . tumblr . com

The cover art for this story was done by the talented Fuzzy Ferret. There is a larger version posted on my Tumblr and links to her Pinterest! :)


	15. Disenchantment

Chief Bogo looked at Bellwether sitting across from his desk, flanked by two rams.

He tried to contain his temper, but his nostrils flared.

She reeked of lilies.

Sickly sweet and oppressive.

"Are we on the same page _now_ , Chief?" she said.

 _Ding, ding, ding._

He took his glasses off.

"I don't have a choice, it would seem."

Despite his best efforts, the sound of defeat in his voice betrayed him.

Bellwether tilted her head to one side.

"Then we _are_ on the same page!" she held out her hoof.

Bogo felt the paper crumple as he handed over Judy's night howler report.

"Here," he said through gritted teeth.

Bellwether took it and nodded to the ram on her right, who moved Bogo's shredder over to the desk.

She held the papers over the shredder.

"The button, if you please. I can't seem to reach it from here," a sneer flickered across her face.

Forced spoliation of evidence.

She may as well have asked him to sign his own death warrant.

 _Hopps, you better have a bloody good reason for missing court! There must be something-_

Bellwether cleared her throat. "You're stalling, chief. I'd hate to remind you of the consequences-"

" _Alright!"_ he thundered, unnerved when Bellwether didn't flinch.

He had underestimated her.

With a heavy sigh, he pressed the button.

The sound of metal grating set his teeth on edge.

"With the digital copies gone, that's _everything_ ," he grunted.

Bellwether smiled.

It made his gut curdle.

"I hope so, for your sake," she said, getting off the chair with the help of a ram.

Bogo looked at the rams in ZPD blues with a baleful eye.

 _I trusted you!_

They shut the door behind them.

He steadied his breathing.

He grabbed the receiver and pressed the redial button.

Again.

" _Hi! You've reached Judy! Leave me a message and I'll get back to you!"_

 _Beep._

He hung up.

If she hadn't gotten his other messages, she wouldn't get this one.

He put his head in his hooves.

Bogo never thought his career, his life, would rest on something so trivial.

A little carrot pen.

 _Hopps... you better still have it!_

A knock at the door made him sit upright.

"Yes?"

Clawhauser slowly opened the door, tail flicking.

Bogo opened his mouth to say something.

Nothing came out.

Clawhauser's ears flattened.

"So... what happens now?" he said.

Bogo stood and walked over to the door.

He put a hoof on the cheetah's shoulder as he left the room.

"The world breaks."

* * *

Nick fidgeted in the hospital bed.

 _Finnick and Ma should be at the station now._

His breathing quickened and made him cough.

The lingering rattle in his lungs was disconcerting.

He rubbed around the tube in his arm.

 _Drip._

Nick sighed and turned the TV back on.

More election coverage.

Or lack thereof, now that the only remaining opponent had withdrawn.

His jaw clenched at the sight of the sheep smiling demurely from the podium.

" _As mayor incumbent, I will do everything in my power to make Zootopia safer for everyone,"_ Bellwether said.

She pointed to a journalist in the crowd. _"Yes?"_

" _Who do you think was really responsible for the Nighthowler case?"_ the beaver said.

Bellwether adjusted her glasses.

" _My priority isn't personal justice, it's public safety. After speaking with Chief Bogo this morning, we believe the only mammal with a motive was the one who failed to testify against me."_

The TV remote fell out of Nick's paw and clattered to the ground.

Murmuring.

Camera flashes.

" _You mean, Officer Hopps?"_ a zebra asked.

Bellwether's face fell into almost believable sorrow.

" _All I can say is that her silence speaks volumes."_

" _What do you believe her motive was?"_ a beaver called out.

Bellwether shook her head sadly.

" _I can't imagine why she would want to incite such fear and hatred."_

A bison spoke up.

" _What can you tell us about Remus Wolfgang's withdrawal from the election?"_

Bellwether smiled.

" _I spoke to him personally a few days ago. Mr Wolfgang graciously conceded that the well-being of Zootopia is our common goal."_

They talked more about the canceled election, but the words dissolved into gibberish.

Nick's ears slid back.

 _Buffalo-butt sold Judy out?!_

"Argh!" He clenched his fists and heard the sheets rip in his claws.

 _This will break her heart!_

All he could do was wait.

* * *

Two foxes made their way through the crowd to Central Station.

Vivienne looked at her watch.

"Hey Finn, it's still a while before Judy's train arrives, and I'm starving!"

Finnick nodded. "I could eat. Bug-Burga?"

Vivienne made a drooling face and he chuckled.

"Can't deny a lady her burger!" he said as they walked over to the fast food chain.

"Pfft, I think we both know I'm no lady!"

"I dunno. You look it, a bit. Maybe," Finnick mumbled as they reached the line.

"An _old_ lady, you mean?"

Finnick scoffed. "You still get carded, so don't give me that bullshit!"

Vivienne's eyes softened.

"Well, at least fur hides the wrinkles!" she tousled the fur on his head.

Finnick's breath hitched in his throat.

"Can I take your order? Hello?" The grizzly bear behind the Bug-Burga counter said.

"Down here," Finnick walked over to the smaller mammal counter.

"Sorry sir, what can I get for you today?"

"Feast for Two?" he suggested to Vivienne.

"Aw, it's like we're a couple!" she said, elbowing Finnick playfully.

She sniffed.

"Can't you _smell_ that, Finn?"

"...nope."

The bear quirked an eyebrow at him.

Finnick made a discrete throat-slit gesture when Vivienne looked away.

"Here you go, er... enjoy," the bear handed over their food and Finnick put his wallet back in his pocket.

He smoothed his features back into disinterest.

 _...Damn bears sticking their noses where they don't belong._

They took their trays to an outside table near the fountain.

"Yum, I haven't had a burger for _ages_!" Vivienne licked her lips.

Finnick squinted and put his sunglasses on. "We went last week!"

"Huh. Feels like longer," Vivienne unwrapped her burger.

She inhaled the aroma deeply.

"Ah, smells like delicious cholesterol!"

Vivienne closed her eyes as she ate. "Mm..."

It was one of Finnick's favorite things about her.

He could look at her face, and let the mask slide off his own.

 _Just for a couple of minutes._

It was why he cooked.

Just so he could watch her face light up with pleasure as she tasted it.

Her eyes flicked open.

His mask was back in place as he started eating his own meal.

"Still not as good as your cooking, Finn!" she licked a bit of sauce from her thumb.

Finnick smiled.

"I should make burgers for you and the girls some time," he said before taking another bite of his burger.

 _I'll need to stock up on paprika._

"You know, it would make more sense if you stayed at my place," Vivienne said.

Finnick sighed and took a sip of his Polar Cola. "You keep askin'!"

"Well, maybe I keep waiting for you to give me a good enough reason _not_ to!" Vivienne said.

One of Finnick's ears twitched. "Maybe I don't _need_ no reason!"

Vivienne put her burger back on the tray. "Then why, Finn?"  
"Why _what_?"

"Why do you spend almost _all_ of your time with me?" Vivienne said, taking her sunglasses off.

Finnick's ears fell.

 _Shit._

Vivienne frowned.

"I'm not some _charity_ case just because of John, Finn!"

"...It, it ain't that," Finnick said, pulling out his phone, "-Fuzz's train-"

"-Is still a half-hour away, so don't change the subject!" she crossed her legs. "I'm not getting any younger, Finn."

 _Neither am I._

His patience grew thinner by the day.

He was getting greedy and spending too much time with her.

 _If I show my hand, I'll lose her._

Finnick also put his sunglasses on the table.

"Remember the night you bought the club? Ten years back?" he said.

Vivienne's ears flicked backward.

"Yeah."

Finnick sighed.

"...let me tell my side, arite?"

Vivienne nodded.

"I'm listening."

He thought back to ten years ago when he sat on the bottom step of her apartment with a bagful of cash at his feet.

* * *

 _Ten years earlier:_

Finnick took another swig from the bottle, leaving it dry.

He tossed it aside, satisfied by the sound it made when it smashed against the pavement.

A meerkat came out of the door.

"You Viv's next john?"

"I ain't no john!" Finnick shouted, "who the fuck are you?!"

The meerkat sneered at him.

"Viv just bought the Peppermint Rhino from me."

"The strip club 'round back?" Finnick slurred.

"Yeah," the meerkat chewed a claw. "Says she's gonna do it up all 'classy'. Stop turning tricks for a livin'."

Finnick's eyes widened. "...you serious?"

"Ask her yourself," the meerkat thumbed behind him and walked down the steps.

Vivienne appeared in the doorway.

"Oh, hi Finn!"

She noticed him swaying.

"You've been having... fun, I see. What's in the bag?"

"I uh, I wanna give you this to put in the safe. So I don't drink it away," Finnick said.

"Oh, okay... I can do that. You wanna stay here the night?" she opened the door wider.

"Nah, I'll jus' drive home. I'm fine," he jingled his keys and stumbled towards his van.

"No fucking way," she snatched his keys off him and led him inside.

"I'll make you a coffee, so have a seat," she said.

Finnick sat down and tried to stop the world from spinning around him.

Vivienne handed him his coffee and sat opposite him, amber eyes shining.

"I'm glad you're here, Finn. I've got the best news! I don't have to hustle anymore!" she said.

Finnick took a sip of coffee. "The meerkat said. For real?"

Vivienne nodded, bright eyed.

"I'm gonna make the strip club classy, like a burlesque house! It'll be a safe haven for girls like me," she grabbed his paw in her excitement.

"I'll buy this whole apartment, condo by condo, and it can be like a sorority! I know it's a dump, but-"

Finnick, fueled by the booze, squeezed her paw.

"I'm real happy for ya. Seriously," he smiled.

Vivienne smiled back.

"I've wanted to say for a while, Finn: thank you for not judging me. You'd have every right to avoid me, like Nick."

Finnick shook his head. "Judgin' ain't my style. One day, he'll get over it."

"How is he?" Vivienne asked, the smile vanishing from her face.

"He's okay. We still hustlin' pawpsicles."

"Are you still acting like a baby?" Vivienne said with a smirk.

"...yeah," Finnick muttered.

Vivienne suppressed a chuckle.

"I thought that was Nick's pay to put in the safe," she motioned to the bag by Finnick's feet.

"...'jus mine."

"Did you tell Nick that I'm not spending it?" Vivienne asked.

"Not my place, Viv," Finnick sipped at his coffee.

Vivienne's ears slid back. "It's been ten years, when will he come home?"

"Hey, good news today, right? So no cryin'." Finnick squeezed her paw again.

Vivienne took a deep breath. "You're right."

She yawned.

"I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted," she said.

"I could hit the hay," Finnick said, leaving his coffee.

"I'll take the couch," he mumbled.

"...I haven't had a couch for a while. You'll have to crash with me," Vivienne said.

"I'll 'jus sleep in the van. Woah, Viv!"

Vivienne hefted him up over her shoulders.

"If you're gonna act like a baby, I'm gonna treat ya like one! Fuck, Finn! You're heavier than you look!"

"Fuck off," he mumbled.

Vivienne grinned.

"You must still be blitzed if you're swearing!"

"Arite, I'll walk there, jus' put me down!"

* * *

"This ain't where-"

Vivienne gave him a sharp look.

"No. It's not. I used the motel around the corner."

She hung up her robe, revealing an oversized t-shirt.

Vivienne ran her paw over her dresser, little ornaments, and stray jewelry.

She took Finnick's paw in hers.

"Here, take a Tygernol. It'll take the edge off your hangover," she handed him a glass.

"Thanks, Viv. Sorry. I won't do this again," Finnick mumbled.

Vivienne picked up the cushions off the bed and set them to one side.

She got under the covers and patted for Finnick to join her.

"You can always stay here, Finn."

Finnick turned on his side, away from her.

Vivienne put her arms around him and held him.

He froze.

"You're the best friend any mammal could ever have," Vivienne whispered in his ear.

* * *

Finnick couldn't look at her the whole time as he spoke.

His eyes stayed on the napkin as he slowly tore it to shreds.

He stopped speaking.

The silence was louder than the crowd.

 _Shit, now I've done it._

* * *

"That's... everything you remember?" Vivienne asked.

Finnick nodded.

She shook her head and sighed.

"You hang out with me, but won't stay over, just... because we're best friends?"

He nodded, still avoiding her gaze.

"That's it?"

"Uh, yeah," he said.

Vivienne left her half-eaten burger and stood.

"We have a bunny to collect, let's go," she said, putting her sunglasses back on.

"Right," Finnick grabbed his sunglasses too and climbed down off his chair.

Vivienne normally slowed her pace so that Finnick walked in front of her.

Today, she walked ahead.

* * *

 _Ten years earlier:_

"You're the best friend any mammal could ever have," she had whispered in his ear.

"...I'm not," Finnick said. "I'm an alcoholic, stunted freak!"

"Finn," she reached around and held his paw.

"We all have our reasons. It took me a while to get clean off coke, remember? Why do you drink?"

Finnick trembled slightly.

"You can tell me, Finn."

He turned over to face her.

"'Coz I'm disgustin', okay?!"

Vivienne frowned, "Why on earth-"

Whatever she was going to say next melted away as he dragged his cheek against hers.

It felt so good that it ached when he pulled away.

"THAT'S WHY!" he shouted.

Her heart pounded and her ears throbbed.

It confirmed every guilty thought she'd ever had.

"Finnick..." she put a paw on his cheek. "You would... be with me?"

He nodded, eyes reddened.

"It's not disgusting. I'm forty, you're thirty-six. We're not related."

Finnick swallowed.

"I ain't never had a mother, so I thought I was fucked in the head."

Vivienne chuckled.

"You are. But that's okay," she gently brushed her cheek against his.

Finnick gasped.

"...I'm fucked in the head too," she touched her nose to his.

"For real, Viv?" he whispered.

Shy, she planted a chaste kiss on his lips.

"For real," she whispered.

"I gotta tell ya somethin'. You probably gonna hate me for it," he mumbled, eyes half-closed.

She just smiled, stroking the fur between his ears.

"That bag of green, I... was gonna ask if... I could pay you to... to hold me like this. Nothing more, though!"

He cringed like she was going to slap him.

She laughed.

"The fuck, Viv?! I'm being raw here, and-" Finnick shut up.

"Feel that?"

Finnick nodded dumbly.

"It's been yours for a long time. You never, ever have to pay," she said.

They held each other as they drifted to sleep, his paw still on her chest.

* * *

Vivienne ran her thumb under her eyes so her makeup wouldn't run.

 _I'm so fucking stupid!_

He didn't remember.

She shouldn't have expected him to, he was drunk.

 _It explains his distance, that's for damn sure!_

One of the most intimate nights of her life, forgotten.

Tears misted her vision.

Playing dumb, like she couldn't smell his scent, or didn't notice him responding to hers.

All that time, waiting patiently for him to make the move.

One he had no intention of making.

"Viv?" Finnick said.

"What?" her voice was terse.

Finnick's ears drooped slightly.

"...it don't matter."

They made their way down the escalators.

Other lives and stories were in motion around her.

A zebra fidgeting with a bouquet of flowers and checking his watch.

An elephant talking excitedly on his phone.

Two pandas in suits walking close together so their joined paws wouldn't be obvious.

 _Love is everywhere._

 _Guess my coupon expired._

She twisted her wedding ring off her finger and put it in her handbag.

Finnick didn't notice.

Surrounded by mammals, the one she cherished most at her side...

Vivienne had never felt so alone.

* * *

The train door opened and Judy stepped out carefully onto the platform.

Vivienne and Finnick were sitting on a bench.

She watched Vivienne take off her wedding ring.

"Hey, get outta the way!" A shadow hovered as a hippo stepped over her.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she hurried over to the foxes on the seat.

"Hi guys!" she waved.

They jerked to life.

"H-hey, Judy!" Vivienne enveloped her into a hug.

"What's wrong with your feet?"

Judy looked down at the bandages the conductor had wrapped around her feet.

"Oh, just a few blisters!" Judy rubbed the back of her neck.

"Hi Fuzz, ready to go see Nick?" Finnick gave her a small smile.

Judy returned it.

"One hundred percent ready!"

Judy straightened as they walked through the hospital corridors.

The whispers and strange looks couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

The door to Nick's room was open.

"Nick!"

"Carrots!"

Judy leaped onto the bed and pulled Nick close.

"Aw, I didn't know foxes wagged their tails!" she said, pulling back.

"Only on special occasions," Nick smiled, but his paws clenched the sheets.

Judy frowned and got off the bed.

"Nick, what's wrong?"

Vivienne cleared her throat.

"I'll go get us some coffee, you guys catch up."

"Thanks, Ma. Hi, by the way."

"Yeah yeah, I know when I'm not wanted," she said. Her tone was lighthearted, but the look she gave Finnick...

Judy couldn't interpret it for the life of her.

"Back soon," Finnick shut the door behind him.

"You don't look so good," Judy pulled a seat up beside Nick's bed.

Nick chuckled, "It's an improvement on a couple of days ago."

One ear twitched.

"Nick, you're hiding something, tell me!" Judy said.

He sighed.

"Carrots, there's no easy way to say this, but..." he got his phone out and tapped away.

He handed it to her, with a Ewetube video.

Judy pressed play.

* * *

"... _All I can say is that her silence speaks volumes."_

Judy stopped the video and handed the phone back to him.

Nick swallowed.

She needed to know, but he wished he didn't have to be the messenger.

Her ears were down and her nose was twitching.

The light had gone out of her eyes.

 _Oh, Judy..._

Nick cleared his throat.

"It's gonna be okay, Hopps. We'll fix this together. We've done it before, huh?"

He patted her gently on the back.

"...Judy?"

"Nick, I'm sorry, but I'm gonna head back to the cottage. I'm... tired. I'll come visit you again soon."

Nick tried to hide his disappointment.

"Sure thing, Carrots. I get it."

She opened the door just as Vivienne and Finnick came back with coffee.

"Oh, could I have the keys?" Judy asked Nick.

"Keys to what?" Vivienne asked, handing Judy a coffee.

"...no thanks. I'm going home. To the cottage."

"Oh," Vivienne looked at Nick, who nodded. "Here, I've got the keys," she drew them out of her handbag.

"If you hang around, we can drop you there?" Finnick offered.

Judy shook her head. "I just need some time..."

The three foxes exchanged worried looks.

"I'll get a cab. Bye."

The door swung shut behind her.

Finnick and Vivienne looked at Nick, who sighed.

"I guess you guys haven't seen the news yet."

* * *

Judy turned the key in the door.

The house was quiet.

She walked into her room and disconnected her phone charger.

Seventeen missed calls.

She listened to the first voicemail.

Bogo was furious.

She had let him down.

She had let Zootopia down.

Again.

She looked up more news articles on the internet to get a more complete picture.

Nick was right.

She had been framed.

'Hero Hopps!' hung above her.

Mocking her.

Judy growled and grabbed it from the wall.

The photo of her smiling proudly in her blues tipped her over the edge.

"Argh!"

She dashed the frame to the ground, sending glass flying.

The newspaper clipping remained unharmed.

So she ripped it to pieces.

Anger prickled into tears behind her eyes.

She threw herself onto her bed and sobbed until she was exhausted.

Her dream had died.


	16. Lost and Found

Judy woke up in a cold sweat.

Eventually, she gave up on getting back to sleep and looked at her phone.

2:30 a.m.

 _Click._

The light of the lamp made her squint.

Her stomach growled.

Kicking the shards of glass aside, she walked to the bathroom in a daze.

She peeled off her sweat-soaked clothes.

Blood had fused with the bandages on her feet, so she walked into the shower with them on.

Sinking down to the floor, she watched as the dried blood stained the water and swirled down the drain.

The water ran cold.

Shivering, she got out and lay down on the towel.

She only got up when the ache in her joints became intolerable.

Water clinging to her fur, she walked out into the hallway.

Judy bit her lip to quell the rising nausea.

The silence was suffocating, so she walked into the lounge room and turned on the TV.

She walked past Nick's room, his scent triggering a blur of scents and images.

Vivid dreams and foggy memories had melded until she couldn't tell them apart.

All she knew right now was that his scent comforted her.

So she curled up in his bed, clutching his pillow to her chest.

* * *

The elevator chimed.

Nick tossed and turned.

 _He'd gotten soft, sleeping in a decent bed the past few weeks._

He turned over again.

 _Rustle._

 _Click._

 _Squeak._

 _Clunk._

 _Count sheep?_

His heart sank.

 _...or not._

Maybe he shouldn't have rushed to update Judy about Bellwether.

 _No._

Anything less would have been patronizing.

 _I hope she's alright._

He could still smell her on his hospital gown.

He looked at his phone.

3:45 a.m.

His feet were sweating again, so he kicked the covers off.

Closing his eyes, he wondered if it was the flu or the side effects of the medications.

Nick's eyes flew back open.

He grabbed his phone.

 _You awake?_ he texted.

A few minutes later his phone buzzed.

He picked up.

"Ma!"

* * *

"Wait for me," Vivienne handed over a wad of cash to the driver.

"You got it," the pig replied, turning up the radio.

Vivienne tried the front door to the cottage.

Locked, as she expected.

She dashed around to the backyard, nose twitching.

 _Where was it again?_

She sniffed at the air as she made her way through the long grass.

 _Ah!_

She bent down and sniffed under the veranda.

 _There!_

She groped around under the boards and pulled out the spare key taped there.

It was wrapped in a berry scratch-n-sniff.

Her mother-in-law's weird habit had finally come in handy.

 _Thanks, old gal!_

She knocked a few times first.

Nothing.

"Judy? It's Viv," she said, turning the key in the door.

She turned the kitchen light on.

"Judy?"

Her ears pricked.

The TV was still on.

Judy shuffled out, wearing her sweat-stained clothes from earlier today.

Her eyes were glassy, vacant.

"Viv."

Vivienne had seen that look before.

In the mirror.

Her ears slid back.

"Oh darlin', come here," she bent down and opened her arms.

Judy shuffled forward, accepting her hug but not returning it.

"Judy, I know you feel like shit," Vivienne said.

"You're going through withdrawal from all the meds you've been on," she said.

She pulled back and looked Judy in the eye.

"It'll be okay, what you're feeling is temporary."

Judy pulled away, eyes hard.

"How do _you_ know that?"

Vivienne could kick herself.

"Ugh, I'm sorry! I just meant... the physical stuff."

There was a knock at the door.

"Ma'am? Do you still want me to wait?"

Vivienne cursed under her breath.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute, thanks."

She took Judy's paws.

"Nick is really worried about you, sweetheart. Come and stay at my place for the night."

Judy shook her head.

Vivienne squeezed her paws.

"I have a spare room. You'll have your own space if that's what you're worried about," she said.

Judy absently peeled a piece of sodden bandage from her foot.

 _That's right, rabbits don't have paw pads!_

Vivienne winced.

 _A couple of blisters my ass!_

"I can manage on my own," Judy said.

"Damn it rabbit, learn to take help when it's offered! How many times do I have to tell you: you're _family_!"

Vivienne went to Judy's room to get her some clean clothes.

Her ears fell at the state of it.

Glass.

Paper.

Blood.

"Please, just leave me alone," Judy mumbled, passing by her to climb into bed.

"Like _hell,_ I will! Now come and get in the fucking car or, so help me, I will drag your ass out!" Vivienne said.

Judy didn't even flinch.

"I... only want to see Nick," she said, her voice soft.

Vivienne nodded.

"Then let's go see him, sweetheart."

"We won't be allowed in, it's the middle of the night," Judy said, ears down.

Vivienne grinned.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve, don't worry!"

She wrapped her arm around Judy's shoulder as they walked through the grass to the taxi.

* * *

 _I think I'm done._

Judy shivered and wiped her mouth.

"I'm so sorry," she repeated to the taxi driver.

"It's okay, Miss. It happens."

Vivienne handed him extra notes and shut the door.

She rubbed Judy's back and passed her a tissue.

"It's just the drugs leaving your system. Deep breaths, hun."

They walked into the hospital.

Vivienne smiled at the wolf at the reception desk.

"My son is expecting to see me," she said.

The wolf raised an eyebrow.

"It's not visiting hours..."

Vivienne nodded.

"I understand, but you know us night mammals! Should I call his room?"

The receptionist sighed.

"Do you have any ID?"

Vivienne opened her purse and put a few cards on the bench.

The wolf still didn't look convinced.

Vivienne shrugged her shoulders.

"Then you leave me no choice," she grinned slyly and reached into her handbag.

The wolf looked worried.

"...Ma'am, what are you-"

Judy blinked.

Vivienne had slapped down a Polaroid of a toddler.

It was Nick, covered in spaghetti and wearing a colander on his head.

He looked very pleased with himself.

"Isn't he adorable?!" Vivienne said excitedly. "I have more-"

"No, that uh, won't be necessary," the wolf said tiredly.

"Go and see your son already, ma'am. You've proven your point."

Vivienne nodded.

"Thank you!"

Judy felt a tiny smile creep over her face.

Vivienne caught it and grinned to herself.

* * *

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Nick said.

"Oh hey Ma - Carrots!" his ears fell.

"You've... looked better, Fluff," he said.

Judy just shrugged.

"...I thought you might be sick from the medications for your leg, so I asked Ma to see how you were," Nick said.

He glanced at his mother, who spread her paws helplessly.

"I uh, I did text you," Nick began.

Judy slumped in the visitors' seat.

"My... dad, he drugged me too, to keep me from leaving."

Her ears rang from the shouts of the two foxes.

"The FUCK?!"

Judy sighed.

"Bellwether got to dad, somehow. He thought he was doing the right thing," she whispered.

Nick and Vivienne exchanged looks.

"To keep you away from the trial," Nick said.

Judy nodded, a vacant look still on her face.

It may have been the fever, but Nick's blood felt as though it was boiling.

"I'll, uh," Vivienne began.

"...I'll fuck off somewhere else for a bit, give you two some privacy."

She shut the door.

"Carrots..." Nick sat up, "-hey, you were smiling just a little when you came in. Got an encore in ya?"

Judy spoke softly, a smile half-dressed on her face.

"Your mom used your baby photos to get in here," she said.

Nick face-pawed.

"Oh god no! Which one? Not the spaghetti one?!"

Judy nodded and he groaned.

He peeked out between his fingers.

"But if it made you smile, then the humiliation is worth it," he said.

"I thought I'd never smile again," she whispered.

Nick's chest tightened.

"Talk to me, Carrots."

The silence hung in the air.

"If only I hadn't hurt my leg at the museum," Judy said, picking at the bits of bandage still stuck to her feet.

"What happened here?" Nick pointed.

"The train station is pretty far out from my house if you don't have a car," she said.

"So...you walked there?"

"I ran," her eyes filled with tears.

Her despondency made him wilt.

She brushed the tears aside angrily with the back of her paw.

"You're still right, Nick," she said.

"About what?" he asked.

"I'll never be a real cop."

Nick felt guilt stab him in the heart.

"I've made everything worse," Judy whispered as the tears ran silently down her cheeks.

Frowning, Nick grabbed one of her paws.

"Don't you go blaming yourself for this! This is all Bellwether!"

"I should have _known_. I... I give up!" she sobbed.

Nick squeezed her paw.

"No. You don't get to do that to me, Judy!" he said, his voice louder than he intended.

"...what?"

"You don't get to give up. You can't go making me feel like I could actually make a difference and then pull the rug out from under me! Not again!"

Nick swung his legs off the bed and stood, wobbling a little.

He knew he can't have looked healthy himself…

But seeing Judy like this…

Wearing dirty clothes, her fur damp and unkempt…

The light in her eyes snuffed out.

"I was a jerk, I know. I said no one cares about your dreams. But you know what? Now I do. You've given me something to reach for!" he said.

He knelt down so that he was eye-level with her.

Judy sobbed.

"But I don't believe anymore!"

"Well, I do!" Nick pointed a thumb at his chest, "-and I'm gonna prove it to you!"

"What?"

"You heard me! I'm going to become a cop! We're going to be partners, just like you said!"

The fluorescent light above them buzzed.

He took a deep breath.

He moved his paws to her shoulders.

"We can work together and _fix_ this, Carrots. I promise."

There it was.

A glimmer of light sparkling behind her violet eyes.

Just a glimpse of the old Judy.

She wiped away her tears.

"Okay."

Nick smiled and cracked his knuckles.

"Well, no time like the present. You up for some detective work?"

Judy nodded.

"I think I saw some kids crayons and paper in the waiting room, we can take notes."

Nick clapped his hands together.

"Alright! Now, where do we start?"

* * *

Vivienne stifled a yawn.

 _I'll just see how they're doing._

She knocked softly on Nick's door.

The sound of gentle snores came out.

Opening the door a crack, she smiled at the sight before her.

Papers and a few stubby crayons were scattered over the bed and nightstand.

Underneath the pile of papers her son slept, lying on his back.

Her heart melted.

Judy was on her back as well.

It looked like before they dozed off, they were respectful of each other's personal space.

Except that Judy was holding Nick's pinky in her paw.

Vivienne went to close the door but saw that Judy was shivering.

Quietly, she gathered up the papers and stacked them neatly on the nightstand.

Pulling the covers over them, she smiled at the sight of her sleeping son.

 _Haven't done this in a while._

She closed the door softly.

 _Time to go home._

She took out her phone and went to dial Finnick's number.

Her smile disappeared.

She took the train home.

* * *

 _Rustle._

Nick blinked as the sun's rays glared from the window.

He went to stretch when he felt an unfamiliar weight on his arm.

His breath caught in his throat.

Judy was in his arms, sleeping.

Her nose twitched.

He felt lost in that moment, looking at her face.

He wanted to memorize every little detail.

So he just gazed down at her.

He savored the feel of her velvety fur against his arm.

Her sweet scent hung in the air.

He could feel her heart beating against the side of his chest.

She opened her eyes and stared up at him.

Nick's face felt like it was on fire.

"M-morning, Carrots!"

Judy leaped up.

"I'm so sorry, Nick! I didn't mean to fall asleep!"

Nick raised an eyebrow.

"It's okay, you should know that by now!"

Judy gave him a puzzled look.

 _Later._

"Well, I hope you've had your flu shots. I'd hate to make you sick," he said.

"Of course, I have," she replied.

"You say that like everyone is supposed to remember to have them," he muttered.

"Ah," she said, understanding.

"So, we have our notes, ready to make some phone calls?" he said.

"Sure thing, partner!" Judy said with a determined smile.

His cheeks flushed once more.

 _God, I love this rabbit._

He couldn't help a goofy grin spilling onto his face.

Judy tilted her head, "What's that look for?"

He cleared his throat.

"Nothing at all. So, Buffalo-Butt?"

Judy nodded and dialed the number.

"Chief Bogo? This is Officer Hopps-"

Nick gave her a sympathetic look as she cringed under his booming voice.

"Sir? Sir!" Judy had to shout.

"You can yell at me all you want later, but let's get Bellwether back behind bars first!"

She went quiet.

"What about the audio files you copied from it?"

"Wiped?!"

More quiet.

"Yeah, I still have it."

She reached for the notes on the nightstand.

"Sir? May I offer a suggestion?"

Nick smiled.

 _Clever bunny._


	17. Viral

_I am so sick of this hospital!_

Nick looked at the clock.

 _Only two more hours, then I'm free!_

He hoped the doctor was running on time.

 _Screech._

He checked his phone again.

 _Scuffle._

Nothing.

"Hot beverage, sir?"

"Yeah. Coffee, please," he said, trying not to sound as irritable as he felt.

He looked up to smile at the server.

It took great effort to keep the smile plastered on his face.

 _Oh dear God no!_

"Would you... like sugar?" the young sloth asked, a smile stretching lazily over her face.

"No, just black is fine!" Nick said, watching as she slowly tipped the coffee pot into a cup.

It was oddly mesmerizing.

"Creamer, sir?"

 _It's karma, isn't it?_

Judy would be laughing her tail off.

"Black's good, thanks."

"Sure. Would you like... a cookie?"

"...yes, please," he said.

The coffee had cooled by the time it touched his lips.

Nick's phone vibrated on the night-stand.

He read the text:

 _'All in place! Upload when ready. Wish you were here, partner!'_

He smiled and downloaded the file she had attached.

 _And... share._

There were benefits to not being a cop.

Yet.

He replied to her text:

 _'The worms are out of the can. Good luck, Carrots. Not that you need it. Hopefully, I'll be out by lunch.'_

He pressed send and waited.

Nick took a bite of his cookie.

It was stale, so he dunked it in his coffee.

He stared at his phone and looked at the time.

 _Well, it had only been three minutes._

Plus, she had a job to do – rescue the missing mayor candidate, for one.

He sipped his tepid beverage.

 _Scuffle._

He shook his head when he realized he was acting like a nervous schoolboy.

 _Beep._

He nearly spilled his coffee.

 _'Want lunch when I'm done? My treat!'_

Nick beamed.

 _'Sounds good. Catch you later.'_

 _Play it cool._

He sighed happily.

"Talking to... the... girlfriend?"

"You're still HERE?!"

* * *

Remus Wolfgang growled as the collar around his neck beeped.

He glared at the rams playing cards at his kitchen table.

"Why so glum? You've been made assistant mayor!" one of them sneered.

 _She can't get away with this!_

Lifting a paw up, he held the packet frozen peas to his eye.

He felt the breeze drift in through the broken window, ruffling his fur.

His last escape attempt had not gone well.

The muzzle just added insult to injury.

He ran his tongue over his teeth, still tasting blood.

 _In my own home!_

 _Bellwether!_

The warning beeps became faster.

"Argh!" he growled and fell to the ground.

He breathed in the dust from the rug and tried to calm himself.

A sheep chuckled. "You'll get used to it."

Remus got to his feet and sat in his armchair.

It wasn't as comfortable as it used to be.

No phone.

No way to call for help.

He shuddered.

"Why not just set it to max and kill me already?" he asked, his voice raspy.

They didn't look up from their cards.

"Two pair. The mayor has _big_ plans for you and that honey badger doctor," one said.

"You two will be modeling the new predator collars!" the other laughed, "-you're going to convince the predators to wear 'em!"

Remus ground his teeth together. "Like _hell,_ I will!"

 _Beep beep beep._

He gripped the arms of the chair, his nails piercing the fabric.

"Straight flush. It's for the greater good, _Mr Assistant Mayor._ You'll come around," the sheep sneered.

The front door burst open.

"ZPD! Get on the ground!"

Remus was flooded with relief.

Then a little gray bunny came through the door.

He blinked.

The sheep laughed.

"Come with _back up_ next time!" said one, standing up.

The rabbit readied her taser. "On the ground! Hooves on your head now, or I _will_ use force!"

"Force?!" the sheep cackled together.

"You've got three seconds! Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

She let a ram charge at her before moving away at the last second.

He yowled in pain when his head became stuck in the bookshelf.

"You are under arrest!"

 _Click!_

She had him handcuffed.

All Remus saw was a flash of gray.

The other ram stomped a hoof. "Oh, you're gonna get it now, _bunny_!"

She leaped out of the way and jumped onto the kitchen counter.

The ram went for her.

Jumping onto his shoulders, she wrapped her legs as far as she could around his neck.

The ram gagged.

"Will you come quietly?" she asked.

"-yeah, just -ack- lemme go!"

She released her hold and hopped to the floor.

"Dumb bunny!" The sheep lunged at her.

The rabbit grinned. "Should've come quietly!"

 _Zap!_

Remus watched the sheep writhe under the prongs of the taser.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't worry, _you'll get used to it_!"

A tiger dressed in ZPD blues stepped through the doorway.

"Need a hand, Hopps?"

She looked at the two cuffed rams.

"Nice work!"

The rabbit walked over to Remus and undid the muzzle.

"Mr Wolfgang, are you alright sir?" she asked.

"Thanks to you," he said, massaging his jaw.

She pointed at his collar, "-we'll get this off soon."

He touched a finger to it.

"You know what it is?"

She nodded.

"We have a doctor who knows how to remove them."

Remus let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Officer."

"Not a problem sir," the bunny stepped aside as he stood.

"It was your assistant who tipped us off. He suspected this had happened when you didn't return his calls."

Remus smiled.

 _Thank god for that!_

The officer looked up at him.

"Would you be willing to help us put Bellwether back behind bars?" she asked.

Remus quirked an eyebrow.

"Officer... Hopps, was it? 'Willing' would be an understatement!" he said with a grin.

* * *

Judy stood in the hospital room doorway.

Machines hummed and beeped.

She shifted her weight to her other leg when her muscles complained.

 _Need to start working out again._

Hurried staff bustled behind her.

She smiled at the sight of the two otters reuniting.

"Thank you," Mrs Otterton beamed at her.

"You're welcome. I'm really sorry to interrupt, but..." Judy said, walking towards them.

Emmitt squinted at her, prompting his wife to hand him his new spectacles.

He cleared his throat.

"You look... familiar," he said.

His wife squeezed his paw.

"Honey, this is Officer Hopps. She's the one who found you!"

Judy nodded.

Emmitt's face fell.

"Bellwether!" he tossed the covers aside and went to get out of bed.

"Woah, Mr Otterton, that's what I'm here to talk about," Judy put a paw up to halt him.

The distress was clear on his face.

"I won't be safe here! You don't _know_ what she's like!" he said, his brown eyes darting around the room.

Judy's ears fell. "Unfortunately, I do. Would you feel more comfortable with a stronger police presence?"

Emmitt nodded.

Judy talked into her radio and soon Grizzoli and Fangmeyer joined her at the door.

The otter looked relieved.

Judy stood up tall and tried not to take it personally.

"Mr Otterton, would you be willing to make a statement?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Would you consent to it being recorded so it could be used as evidence in court?"

Judy handed him a clipboard.

He looked to his wife.

"Can you arrange witness protection?" he asked.

Judy nodded.

"Then yes, I consent," he replied.

Chief Bogo knocked on the door, nodding at Mr and Mrs Otterton.

"Hopps, Manchas is on board," he said, scratching irritably beneath his collar. "Honeybadger is going to deactivate... _this,_ then I'm off. Stay in the hospital until you are

told otherwise."

Judy nodded.

"The fox has shared the file? Copies given to the news stations?" he grunted.

"Yes, sir."

"Good."

He walked away.

* * *

Bellwether sipped the last of her tea, placing the cup delicately back on its saucer.

She got up and stood by the window.

Adjusting her glasses, she smiled.

Things were going well.

A knock at the door made her turn around.

"Yes? What is it, Woolford?"

The ewe looked flustered.

"Ma'am! You need to see this!"

She ran over and turned the television on to ZNN.

Bellwether arched an eyebrow.

"I hardly think there's anything worth-"

As the news anchors talked, her face fell.

Dread washed over her, wave after wave.

* * *

Bonnie flopped onto the sofa and turned the TV on.

 _Finally. Midday._

Her five minutes of peace before she started lunch.

" _The ZPD has confirmed the authenticity of the leaked recording,"_ the moose said.

"Hey Bon," Stu said, sitting down next to her.

She hushed him.

" _-here is a replay of the recording:,"_ the newscaster continued.

" _What are you going to do, kill me?"_

Bonnie and Stu looked at each other.

His eyes were as wide with horror as hers.

 _Judy!_

" _No of course not, he is!"_

" _...bye bye, bunny!"_

Stu's ears fell.

* * *

Zander sat at a table in The Den, engrossed in a video on his phone.

"WOOO-HOOO! That sheep is TOAST!"

"What is it, honey?" Maggie wiped down the coffee machine, checking there weren't any customers.

 _Glad it's quiet!_

Zander held up his phone.

" _And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way!"_

* * *

Chief Bogo pushed the door open, seeing Bellwether standing near her desk.

Her voice rang out from the TV.

" _I framed Lionheart, I can frame you too. It's my word against yours."_

She looked up at him and the officers by his side.

Her face twisted into an ugly snarl.

"You!" she spat, fumbling in a desk drawer.

She pulled out a remote.

"I warned you what would happen if you kept any evidence!"

Bellwether turned up the dial.

Nothing happened.

Bogo raised an eyebrow.

"What?" she said, fiddling with the remote.

Bogo tapped the collar around his neck.

"Dr Honeybadger deactivated it. I just wanted to see the look on your face."

He pulled the broken collar off and dropped it on the ground, crushing it under his hoof.

Her mouth fell open.

"Yes, that's the one!" he pointed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Too many loose ends, Bellwether. You are under arrest," he nodded to McHorn, who handcuffed the other ewe.

Bogo took a small set of handcuffs off his belt and walked towards Bellwether.

Her hooves were in the air but she was staring murderously at him.

"You have the right to remain silent," he said, pulling her arms behind her back.

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," he slapped the cuffs on her wrists. "You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an

attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?"

Bellwether was trembling with rage.

"Go to hell!" she hissed.

Bogo smiled.

"Madam, I would _never_ cut in line."

* * *

Judy put the radio back on her belt.

"He got her!" she said, smiling at Nick.

"And all before lunch time," Nick chuckled. "You're setting the bar pretty high for me, Fluff!"

Judy rolled her eyes. "Speaking of lunch, are you good to go?"

"Yep. Can't wait to get outta here," he picked up his bag and they headed to the reception.

Nick signed his discharge form and they walked to the elevator.

They were the only two in there.

It was very quiet.

Judy looked at the bag in his hands, nose twitching. "Is that carrot cake I smell?"

"Yeah. Finn made some and brought it the day before yesterday," Nick said and cleared his throat.

"Ooh, can I try some?" she asked.

"No, it's stale, you wouldn't like it!"

Nick spoke so quickly his words blurred together.

"Why didn't you throw it away, then?" Judy said.

 _Ding._

They got out of the lift on the ground floor.

He sighed as they walked outside.

"Okay. Do you prefer to rip a bandaid off real quick, even though it hurts more? Or would you rather slowly peel it off?"

"What? I guess... rip it off?" she replied.

Nick sighed.

"Alright," he took out the container and handed it to her.

Judy took the lid off.

There was only one piece missing.

"That's crude. Did Finnick draw that?" she pointed at the orange icing.

Nick blinked.

"Yeah."

"Huh," she picked at the cake and brought her finger to her lips to taste.

"Yum. He's a good cook!" she grinned.

She put the lid back on and handing it back to Nick.

"Heh... yeah, he is," Nick said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Judy walked ahead.

She hoped Nick didn't notice her ears turning crimson.

 _I am so embarrassed I could die!_

She had really hoped some of her dreams _were_ just dreams.

* * *

Nick was shocked that Judy didn't even flinch.

 _Guess she didn't think it was about her._

"I need to head back to the ZPD soon, I have tons of paperwork," she said.

"So how about that cafe up the street?" Judy pointed.

"Sure," Nick replied.

They walked in silence.

Cars passed.

Mammals made their way to and fro.

Nick breathed in the fresh air gratefully.

The sun warmed his fur.

"Look, an outside table, let's sit there!" Judy said, pointing to a table with a red umbrella over it.

Nick shrugged and sat down on one of the wooden chairs.

The walls of the cafe were covered with vines. Fairy lights glinted here and there.

Judy picked up a menu, disappearing behind it.

He chose a sandwich, she ordered a salad.

They both ordered blueberry iced tea.

The panda waiter took away the menus and left.

Nick put his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his paw.

"How are you feeling, Carrots?"

"Pfft, I should be asking you that!" she said appearing to be fascinated with a mark on the table.

She sighed.

"I... feel horrible, to be honest."

"Adrenaline wearing off?" Nick asked.

Judy nodded. "That and... withdrawal, I guess?"

"Do you know what your dad drugged you with?" Nick said.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he cringed.

 _Real smooth, slick._

Judy's ears fell.

"Yeah, Mom told me: Stil-ox, and a lot of it. If she hadn't caught him and stopped him, I'd still be in Bunnyburrow."

He had to suppress a snarl.

 _If I ever see that jackass again!_

"Maybe you should see a doctor?" he suggested.

Judy shook her head.

"I know the process. They'd give me milder medication to help me sleep and... I have had enough of that. I'd rather just get it out of my system."

Nick nodded.

 _Can't argue with that._

Judy folded her arms on the table and rested her chin on them.

"I know it impairs memory, so... I'm sorry, I'm not sure how much is real or a bad dream."

 _'Bad'?_

Nick's stomach flip-flopped.

"I guess we could play a game of true or false?" he suggested.

Judy lifted her gaze to meet his.

"You'll be honest with me?"

He was silent a moment, before putting his paw in a Junior Ranger Scout gesture.

"I swear to be truthful," he said, a small smile playing about his lips.

Judy nodded as the panda returned with their iced teas.

She took a long gulp from her straw before speaking.

"True or false: we went to Trader Doe's together?"

"True," Nick took a sip of his tea, pulling one of the blueberries out and popping it in his mouth.

"Okay. What about... I brushed your fur?"

Nick took another sip and averted his eyes.

"True."

Judy's ears lifted a little.

"We went to a cafe called The Glen?"

He smiled. "'The Den', close."

"That's right," Judy muttered.

She frowned in concentration.

"We... saw your dad at the tree? With Finnick and your mom?"

Nick stirred his straw in circles.

"True."

She sat up straight and smiled. "We went to the movies!"

Her grin was contagious. "Yep, true!"

The panda set their meals down.

Judy took a mouthful of her salad.

He chuckled. "Hungry?"

She nodded.

"I keep forgetting to eat."

"Oh, that's healthy," Nick said, not hiding his sarcasm.

She rolled her eyes.

"It's not like me, I usually eat like a horse!"

"I know," he smiled, the grin spreading wider at the tinge of pink in her ears.

Judy finished chewing and swallowed.

Nick remembered his sandwich and took a bite.

"Thank you for looking after me, by the way," she smiled.

"...you're welcome," he said before draining his glass.

"I know we went to the ZPD and did some paperwork, but the rest is blurry."

 _Is she just being shy, or doesn't she remember...?_

The thought filled him with dread at first.

Then he realized...

 _This is it! We can start over, no drugs, no hormone pills!_

He could really cherish her, not just react.

He smiled.

"Don't worry, Carrots. Your roomie will look after you."

Judy grinned back.

"It will be good to relax at home after work!" she said, ears fully perked.

Nick nodded.

 _Knew it. I'm a wizard!_

Judy sipped the last of her tea.

"Oh, I nearly forgot! I'll talk to Bogo about your entrance exams. He might let you delay it until you're well enough," she said.

"Thanks. Gives me a chance to get fit for the physical exam," Nick said.

He balled up his napkin and threw it casually into the trash can.

"Score!" he pumped his fists in the air dramatically.

Judy chuckled half-heartedly.

Nick knew it wasn't even that funny, but it made him realize...

 _I haven't seen her laugh much._

Not when she was lucid, anyway.

He smirked.

 _That's gonna change!_

Judy finished the last of her drink and stood.

"So, wanna share a cab back to the city center? I can go back to work and you can go home and rest?"

"Subtle, Fluff. Yes, I'll go home and _rest_ , I don't have a death wish," he stood.

 _Well, not anymore._

 _Cold showers equals bad idea._

Judy walked inside to pay for their meals.

She zipped her pocket up.

"When you're up to it, I'll help you train for the phys exam. I need to get back to fighting form myself," she said before walking out.

She tapped away on her phone.

"Okay, a cab will be here soon," she said.

Nick bent down so he was eye-level with her.

"Judy," he said.

"Hm?"

She turned around to face him, and Nick was pleased to see her ears redden.

He gently put his paw on her head, between her ears.

"I'll get us something good for dinner, to celebrate today."

Her eyes were impossibly round.

"Maybe we could watch a movie, too?" she squeaked, covering her mouth with her paw.

He put on his best Yax impersonation.

"Oh, fur shure!" he flipped his paw lazily.

She laughed, loud and genuine.

It may be the best sound he'd ever heard.

No need for a carrot pen to get to hear that sound over and over.

A cab pulled up.

"Ther thurd sylinderr wasn't firing. 'Member that, Nangi?"

Judy clutched her stomach.

"Stop it!" she had tears at the corner of her eyes.

Nick swaggered over to the cab and opened the door.

"Get in, duuuude."

They spent the whole ride trying not to laugh.

And failing.

Miserably.

The bewildered expression on the bison in the rear view mirror didn't help.

Judy got out near the ZPD, still chortling.

"Thanks, Nick. I needed that!"

"Anytime!" he grinned.

"I'll call when I know what time I'll be home, 'kay?"

"Sounds good. See ya later, Officer Fluff!" he saluted.

She shut the cab door and saluted back.

The bison turned around in his seat. "You need to go to like, a psychiatric hospital or somethin'?"

Nick chuckled and shook his head.

"Nah, I just got out."

 _Crap._

"That's not what I meant!"

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! 18 is on its way.

Let me know what you liked and what you want to see more of in a review or PM! ^^

If you have a question, feel free to check out my tumblr at: armae . tumblr . com

You guys are awesome!


	18. Damaged Goods

_Knock knock._

"...Viv?"

Vivienne groaned and pulled the covers up over her head.

"I love ya Holly, but fuck off. I'm tired," she said, her voice muffled.

"Nice, Viv. C'mon, the show starts soon!" Holly said through the door.

Vivienne lifted her head out from under the covers.

"So? Whaddya need _me_ for?"

Holly was quiet for a moment.

"You always come to the shows when you can, Viv."

"Yeah, well I don't feel so good, so just let me sleep."

Holly opened the door.

"Viv? Ow!" she tripped over in the dark.

Vivienne squinted when the sheep turned the light on.

"What is this?!" Holly grabbed her hoof to disentangle it from a handbag.

"Why do you have all this crap on the floor?" she said, stepping through the clutter.

Vivienne didn't answer.

 _Just leave me alone._

Holly trotted over and sat on the bed.

She put a hoof on Vivienne's shoulder.

"Viv, talk to me. You've been in here for three days and we're all worried. Your son called, too."

Vivienne flopped back down and put her head under the pillow.

"If I wanted to talk about it, I would have already."

Holly sighed.

"You can't keep this up, Viv," she started picking up the mess.

Vivienne threw the pillow aside and sat up, meeting Holly's golden eyes.

She held up a finger.

Holly rolled her eyes. "Hey, I know it's you, but that's a bit much-"

Then she noticed the pale fur line on Vivienne's finger.

"Your wedding ring," she whispered.

Vivienne nodded, twisting the empty space where it used to pinch.

"Did... did you have it insured?" Holly asked.

Vivienne shook her head.

"It was a ten dollar ring John got me from the market. But it just... can't be replaced."

Holly nodded.

"I get it, I just wish you'd told us earlier. Not knowing what's wrong is awful," she said.

Vivienne's ears slid further back.

"Other stuff happened, with... Finn."

Holly slipped her hooves into Vivienne's paws, waiting.

 _What do I have to lose?_

Haltingly, Vivienne opened up.

* * *

Finnick walked into the garage.

"So how long you think it'll be in the shop?" he called out over the noise.

The leopard pulled himself out from under the van.

"Overnight, at least," he said, wiping his paws on an oily rag.

"Shit," Finnick pulled out his phone and punched in a number.

" _Digitalis, Urbeth speaking?"_

"My van blew up!"

" _Nice try, wise guy."_

"No, legit! I'm at the shop on Troop street, it's gonna be in overnight!"

" _Catch bus. Don't. Be. Late,"_ the polar bear growled.

Urbeth hung up.

Finnick swallowed.

The mechanic chuckled.

"Hey, think of it as a chance to sample Zootopia's fine public transport system!"

Finnick rolled his eyes and pointed.

"I _live_ in there, okay?" he said.

"Oh. Better get yourself a motel, then."

Finnick sighed.

"Call me when you done."

"Yep." The leopard slid back under the van.

Finnick tapped on his phone.

The girls had insisted that he apologize to Vivienne, _tonight_.

He wasn't sure what he did exactly, but it must have been bad.

Judging by the ferocity of Holly and the other girls, at least.

They were awfully specific about it, for some reason.

' _Be outside the club at seven o'clock sharp!'_

...with flowers.

His phone showed the address for the nearest florist.

He sighed, pushed his sunglasses back into place and started walking.

His ears twitched all the way to the shop.

Once at Flora and Fauna, he lifted his paw up to the door handle...

...and shoved it back in his pocket.

He paced up and down the entryway.

The pig inside raised an eyebrow at him.

He cringed.

 _Now I jus' look shady!_

His gut churned but he finally pushed the green door open.

The smells were overpowering.

He rubbed irritably at his nose.

"Can I help you?" the shop owner asked.

"Need some flowers," Finnick mumbled.

The pig smiled.

"For a girl?"

Finnick's ears burned.

"...a _lady_ ," he replied.

"Anniversary?"

"Nah, more like... an apology," he muttered.

"Ah. May I recommend these white tulips?"

Finnick looked over his sunglasses at the flowers held in front of him.

He narrowed his eyes.

"They classy? Been told not to get no shitty carnivations."

"You mean... carnations?"

"That's what I said," Finnick mumbled.

The pig chuckled.

"Every flower has a meaning. These are white, for forgiveness. They are classy, I assure you."

"...I'll take 'em, then."

* * *

In spite of herself, Vivienne _did_ feel better after talking with Holly.

She set the newspaper down on the bed, relieved that Bellwether had been caught.

Nick getting credit for helping to bring her down had finally made her smile again.

But... it wasn't good news for sheep in general.

Even if they had nothing to do with Bellwether.

Vivienne took off her glasses. "Holly, I see where you're coming from, but fuck 'em. Urbeth and Shea can deal with any trouble."

Holly twirled a curl of wool by her face.

"Viv, I'd just... rather be safe than sorry," she said.

"Please, fill in for me? Just for tonight. You're better at it than me anyway," she nudged Vivienne playfully.

"Besides, it might be good for you, to help you break out of this funk?"

Vivienne's ears slid sideways.

 _I guess I do owe her one._

"...Seven o'clock start?"

Holly smiled.

"Yeah, just to draw in the crowd. The others will take it from there."

Vivienne sighed.

"I guess I can't let my gals down. I'd better get ready," she said, sliding out of bed.

She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the ensuite.

"Yeesh. How much time do I have, Holly?"

"Two hours," the ewe replied.

"I might need some help on this one," Vivienne picked up her grooming kit.

"Ooh! Can I brush your back?"

Vivienne chuckled.

"Sure. Thanks, Holly."

* * *

Finnick walked down the alleyway beside the apartment that led to Digitalis.

It was getting dark, so he put his shades back in his pocket.

He saw that Urbeth was on guard at the door.

He stood behind the wall for a minute.

Usually, he avoided the club.

 _What did the guys at AA call it?_

 _Compartmentalization?_

 _Some shit like that._

Not that he had much choice now.

There was still a line of mammals trailing outside of the club.

He felt incredibly exposed, standing there with a bunch of flowers almost as big as he was.

Shutting his eyes, he took a deep breath.

 _C'mon, you a tod or a mouse?!_

He finally walked over to the entrance.

The red neon lights hummed.

The polar bear grunted in acknowledgment.

"Finnick. Good. If you were late, I was planning to use you for shot put practice," Urbeth said.

He discretely held his tail with a free paw to stop it from ducking between his legs.

 _My street cred is slippin' as it is!_

Then she smiled and unclipped the velvet rope to let him in.

Indignant noises and groans ensued from the line.

"Hey, he's a VIP!" Urbeth growled.

Finnick raised his eyebrows.

 _VIP?_

He held onto his tail a little longer.

Just so they wouldn't see it wag.

A voice echoed from inside the club.

He blinked.

"Wow, Holly's singin' has gotten way better, huh?" he said.

Urbeth scoffed.

"Haven't you heard Viv sing before?"

Finnick nearly dropped the flowers.

" _That's_ Viv?!" he pointed at the door, eyes wide.

Urbeth opened it and pushed Finnick inside with a knock of a giant paw.

"Stupid fox," she said before closing the door.

Red tealights glowed softly in the center of every table.

Girls moved between them, glasses clinking as they served drinks to the packed crowd.

The twin ferrets were at the grand piano.

The spotlight shone on the polished wooden stage.

There she stood, a red velvet curtain hanging behind her.

 _Vivienne._

This time, Finnick did drop the bouquet to the ground.

She wore a black lace gown that flared at the waist, fastened with a red belt for a splash of color.

Her words slipped through his ears like silk as she crooned into the microphone.

" _I got lips, ruby and sweet_

 _I've got hips that can't be beat_

 _I've got eyes that are lookin' for love  
_

 _I just need a man who's man enough"_

The light in her eyes seemed forced, but she was performing beautifully.

" _I got arms to hold you tight_

 _I've got charms to keep you with me at night_

 _I've got all that you could ever want_

 _I just need a man who's man enough"_

Finnick finally remembered to breathe.

 _"I don't need another casual lover_

 _Walkin' out the door in the morning light_

 _I want a man who can stand on his own_

 _Without lookin' for another lover every night"_

 _"If you got style and you know how_ to _please_

 _And a smile that makes me weak in the knees_

 _If you're a guy who is gentle and tough_

 _You might be the man who's man enough"_

She saw him and the flowers at his feet.

For the briefest moment, Finnick could have sworn she looked terrified.

He followed her gaze to see Holly behind him, mouthing: _"You're welcome!"_ at her.

A change washed over Vivienne's face.

She started to sway her hips.

" _Baby, that's you! I see you over there!"_

The crowd whistled and cheered.

He looked around.

 _Why is everyone looking at me?_

 _All part of the act, right?_

… _right?_

"Lucky fox!" a wolf at a nearby table grinned at him.

 _Huh?!_

Vivienne swished her tail to the beat.

 _Is she looking at me?_

Finnick felt his face grow hotter as she sang to him:

 _"If you got style and you know how to please_

 _And a smile that makes me weak in the knees_

 _If you're a guy who is gentle and tough_

 _You might be the man who's man enough"_

His nose twitched and he stood there, slack-jawed, while she finished the song.

She bowed.

The audience stood and applauded.

A few howled.

He grunted from a sharp nudge to his ribs.

"Throw her a flower already, _dumb-ass_!" Holly hissed at him.

With shaky paws, he pulled a single white tulip from the bouquet and threw it gently to the stage.

Vivienne picked it up and winked at him.

His temperature soared.

"Thank you, everybody! Enjoy the rest of the show!" she said.

She beckoned a finger to Finnick.

More catcalling ensued.

He picked up the bouquet and followed her to the exit like he was hypnotized.

When she closed the outside door behind them, he held up the tulips to her.

He cleared his throat.

"You sing real nice," he said softly.

She took the flowers and smiled, wide and genuine.

"Thank you, Finn. I'm all done here, so… will you walk with me? I need to tell you something."

He nodded.

"...Arrite."

* * *

They made their way through alleys, passing countless trash cans.

Rusted pipes.

Leaky drains.

After walking for fifteen minutes, Finnick knew where they were going.

"It's a gorgeous night, isn't it?" Vivienne said, looking up at the stars.

He nodded again.

They made it to the deserted park.

Finnick's ears fell a little at the sight of the video arcade, boarded up and buried under graffiti.

'John's Wilde Times.'

Tyres and trash were scattered through the grass.

The tree was still there, as was the abandoned monorail, rusted and overgrown with vines.

Vivienne walked over and sat on the bench beneath the tree, the bouquet in her lap.

She patted the space beside her.

Finnick pulled himself up, ears red.

She took a deep breath.

"...I lost my wedding ring," she said quietly.

"You know where you lost it? I can help you find it?" he asked.

Vivienne sighed.

"It should have been in my handbag. I've turned it inside-out looking for it. It could be anywhere," she said.

She looked at him, her amber eyes hesitant.

"I still wish I hadn't lost it, but sometimes… we hold onto lost memories for too long, you know?"

Her ears fell.

"So…it's not the only reason I disappeared for a while."

Finnick's ears drooped, too.

 _Apologize!_

"The other part was me, right? I dunno what I did, but I'm real sorry, Viv," he said, looking down at his feet.

Vivienne shook her head.

"I was angrier at myself," she said.

Finnick frowned. "For what?"

"Getting my hopes up."

He blinked.

"Sorry, Viv - I don't get it."

She stayed quiet for a few moments, twisting the bare patch of fur on her finger.

"You and I, we've lived tough lives, you know? So…I never believed in fate or that kinda shit," she said.

She gently touched her paw pads to the tulip petals.

He marveled at the streaks of gold in her fur glinting in the moonlight.

"I think… losing my ring was a sign," she turned to look at him, "-now, I have nothing to lose."

Finnick's eyes widened as she slowly reached out and stroked his cheek with her paw.

He gasped, his heart threatening to erupt from his chest.

"Lemme jus' say somethin' first?" he managed.

She nodded and pulled her paw back, looking as nervous as he felt.

"I was sittin' right _here_ , first time I saw you… most beautiful vixen I ever laid eyes on," he whispered.

Vivienne's eyes began to shimmer.

"After that, every evenin' I would sit here and wait until seven o'clock."

"Closing time?" she whispered.

He nodded.

"'Coz that's when you would show up, Nick in the stroller. I'd watch the three of you walk home together."

Finnick sighed.

"I was so jealous of John. He was only a few years older than me but he had _everythin'_."

The fallen leaves at their feet scattered in the breeze.

"When he caught me stealin', he told me I shouldn't take things that belong to others. He thought I was just a little kid, not a teen. But then he invited me into your

home..." he trailed off, eyes distant.

"I wasn't jealous no more but I got the guilt instead. Guilt that never quit. Though I did try to drink it away," he said, pulling out the bronze chip from underneath his

shirt.

"Then I had to quit _that,_ ten years ago," he said.

Vivienne looked surprised.

"Ten years ago? What made you quit then?"

Her eyes hardened a little, but he could read them.

 _Don't lie to me._

He started to sweat through his paw pads.

"What we talked about at the station. 'bout that one night I stayed over," he said.

Vivienne listened.

"I woke up the next mornin' in your bed, and I couldn't remember everythin' that had happened 'coz I was so wasted. I looked down at you and you was still sleepin'…"

"Go on."

"I freaked out. 'What if we'd been… intimate... and I didn't remember?'"

He fiddled with the bronze chip.

"I-I didn't want to lose you 'coz of the bottle. I still felt the guilt, but I was jus happy to be 'round you, even if you'd never see me that way," he said.

Vivienne was quiet.

She stood.

Finnick panicked.

 _Shit._

He had shown his hand.

 _Did I read her wrong?_

Vivienne knelt on the ground in front of him so they were eye-level, her back to the arcade.

"We need to talk about this again sometime. For now: No more guilt, for either of us," she said softly, "-we've lost too much time already."

The way she gazed at him sent a thrill of pleasure up his spine.

"Finn, you idiot, I'm in love with you," she whispered.

Finnick's eyes misted.

"S-seriously?"

They were both trembling.

She drew in so close that he could feel her warm breath tickling the fur on his ears.

Closing her eyes, her cheek gently grazed his.

His heart felt like a bird struggling to free itself from his rib cage.

"I-I love you too... Vivienne. Always have," he replied.

* * *

 _Vivienne._

Her breath hitched.

The way he said her name...

She dragged her cheek against his again, thrilled when he moaned with pleasure.

"Sorry," Finnick said.

"For what? Ah!"

The tulips scattered through the air as he pushed her gently to the ground.

Vivienne landed on her back into soft grass and fallen leaves, with Finnick on her chest.

She felt the heat spread through her face.

 _I'm blushing like a nun in Mystic Spring Oasis!_

For all her years!

"Could you ever see me as..." Finnick stuttered.

"...a mate?" Vivienne whispered.

He nodded.

"Yes...but," she whispered, looking away to the fallen white tulips around her, "-I'm... damaged goods."

Finnick chuckled softly.

"Ditto. I think you could do better than a stunted fennec fox," he said.

Vivienne cupped his face in her paws.

"You could do better than _me_ ," she said, stroking his cheek.

He finally placed his gentle brown eyes on hers and didn't look away.

"Viv, ain't _nothin'_ better than you," he said, taking her paws and nuzzling his face against them.

 _Thump thump._

His fur was so thick and soft.

"We're both fucking idiots, aren't we?" she chuckled.

He smiled lopsidedly at her.

"Yeah..."

Tentative, he leaned down and brushed his cheek against hers.

To her mortification, she whimpered when he pulled away.

He just gazed at her.

"Your eyes, they... they're like autumn," he whispered.

Vivienne smiled shyly.

"Aren't you the romantic..?"

Finnick slowly smiled, taking her breath away.

"Tell me again," she whispered.

He swallowed and placed a paw on her cheek.

"I love you, Vivienne," he whispered.

She sighed happily.

He groaned.

"What is it?"

"Sorry, I gotta exercise some 'impulse control' here," he said, reluctantly moving off her.

She blinked.

"Okay…?"

He cleared his throat and stood.

"Something I gotta take care of first."

Finnick leaned down and offered her his paw, which she took.

She smiled knowingly.

"Got it. But you know, that offer to stay at my place never expired, Finn."

She rose to her feet, smoothing out her dress.

"Then... I'll take you up on it," he said.

She couldn't help it, she beamed.

He let go of her paw and blushed.

"I don't mean no funny business! T-that is, unless you want- I mean-" he stuttered.

She knew she would always treasure the look on his face – flustered and shy.

"Why Finn, you're so articulate!" she chuckled, scooping up the poor, abused tulips.

She held out her paw.

"Home?"

He took it in his and nodded.

"Home."

* * *

A/N: As always, thanks to my betas, readers, and followers!

The song Vivienne sings is: "Man Enough" and is sung by Lynda Carter. It's from Fallout 4 and is the property of Bethesda Softworks and I do not profit from this etc.


	19. Piecing it All Together

A/N: WildeHopps heavy - enjoy!

* * *

As the cab pulled away from the ZPD, Nick hit 'call' on his phone.

 _Huh. No answer on her cell._

 _What was that nightclub called again?_

He did a quick Zoogle search and dialed.

" _Digitalis, Holly speaking?"_

"Uh, it's Nick. You know, Vivienne's son-"

" _Oh, hi Nick,"_ the voice on the other end sighed.

He felt a familiar dread drop in his stomach like a stone.

"Is... Mom okay? Can I speak to her?" he asked.

" _Well, she's been in her room for three days..."_ Holly trailed off.

 _Just when I give her the benefit of the doubt!_

"...she's crashed, hasn't she?" he asked, clenching his other paw.

The other end was silent a moment.

Nick shifted in his seat.

"When I was younger, well, she-"

" _I know."_

"It's part of the reason I didn't-"

" _I know. No, she hasn't been using. She's depressed. We just don't know why."_

Nick felt the tension knot at the base of his neck.

 _I'm a jerk._

"My bad - Holly, was it? - should I come see her?"

Holly sighed again.

" _She won't even see Finn. She barely lets me in..."_

Nick thought for a moment.

"See if you can get her to sing," he said, forcing his muscles to relax.

" _Huh?"_

Nick smiled.

"It always made her feel better, even after a crash."

Holly scoffed.

" _It would be a miracle if I could get her to talk, let alone sing!"_

"Has she sung at the club before?"

" _Well, yeah, but only if someone is unable to work."_

"There you go, call in sick or something," he said, adjusting his tie with a free paw.

" _At this point, I'll try anything. I'll let her know you called,"_ she said.

"Thanks."

The call ended as the cab slowed to a stop.

He leaned forward and paid the driver, who still looked at him warily.

 _Whatever, pal._

He walked up the steps to the cottage and unlocked the front door.

Tossing the keys on the kitchen counter, he smiled.

 _Home._

Nick walked into his room and fell back onto his bed.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

 _It smells like Judy._

His eyes snapped open.

 _Like,_ really _smells like Judy!_

He sat up and looked at his pillow.

It was covered with silky gray and white hairs.

 _She hugged my pillow!_

His ears slid sideways and he smiled.

He lay his head back down and inhaled.

 _I am a disturbed mammal._

He grinned.

 _I can live with that._

His eyelids grew heavy.

 _I can't go to sleep, I gotta get things ready!_

Reluctantly, he got up and made his way to the bathroom to shower.

Pain shot through his heel.

"What the hell?!"

He leaned against the wall and inspected his foot.

A small shard of glass was caught between his paw pads.

He yanked it out.

 _Lucky it wasn't deep._

He got the dustpan and broom from the hall closet and swept up the shards.

 _Coming from Judy's room?_

Feeling like a kit stealing from the cookie jar, he opened the door.

The frame he'd put up for her lay shattered over the carpet.

Her newspaper clipping was torn to shreds.

His heart sank.

Careful to avoid the glass, he touched a finger to the sheets on her bed.

 _Are these...?_

 _Bloody footprint stains?_

He swallowed to suppress a lingering cough.

 _If someone like her can lose faith, what hope is there for me?_

He took a deep breath.

 _This isn't about her, it's the messed up people who made her life hard._

Bellwether.

The media.

Her father.

 _Hell, even me, at times..._

He sighed and began to pick up the pieces.

* * *

"Thanks for the ride, Clawhauser!" Judy waved back at the cheetah as he drove away.

The sight of the overgrown grass made her smile.

 _Home._

She stood at the front door for a moment.

 _Should I knock?_

Before she could make up her mind, Nick opened the door.

"Oh, hi!" Judy smiled, standing up straight.

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, fancy meeting you here, of all places."

He gave her a lopsided smile.

"Get in here, weirdo."

Judy giggled.

 _Why do I feel nervous?_

"Wow, the place looks great!" she said.

"Well, I did-" he raised his fingers in air quotes, "'-vacuum,'" he said, grinning slyly.

Judy chuckled. "Let me guess, you _sucked_ at it?"

Nick dramatically put a paw to his forehead.

"My dad-joke, gone before its' time!"

"There was nothing we could do," Judy put on a solemn expression, "-it was suffering."

He grinned at her.

"Getting better at the deadpan humor, I see. How was work?"

She wilted.

 _Stressful._

"Busy," she said, her nose twitching.

"Something smells good!"

Nick gestured to the coffee table.

"Dinner awaits, Officer. Hope you're hungry! I got a little of everything – I wasn't sure what you liked."

Her mouth watered and she hurried over to the couch.

"Ooh, I've always wanted to try curry!" she said excitedly, grabbing a container of food.

"They don't have it in Bunnyburrow?" Nick asked.

She shook her head.

"Not the _real_ stuff, at least. So, which do you recommend first?"

Nick smiled and picked up a container of food.

"Well, how about we start you off nice and easy with this vegetable korma?"

She frowned at him.

"What, you think I can't handle the _heat_?"

Nick shrugged.

"Your funeral, then... chickpea vindaloo?" he said, handing her a different container.

Judy nodded eagerly.

"Sounds good!"

She brought the curry to her lips and paused.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" she asked.

"In a minute," he replied.

Her smile dropped.

"You're smirking."

He shrugged.

"Eat your food before it gets cold, Fluff," he said, serving himself some rice.

Judy took a bite.

Nick waited.

"This is really good!" she said, grabbing another forkful.

"Wait for it," he said, a sly grin creeping across his face.

It was so quiet they could both hear distant traffic noise.

"Wait for what?" Judy asked.

Nick's jaw dropped.

* * *

He had tasted the vindaloo himself – it made him sweat bullets!

Judy grinned smugly at him.

"I've done pepper spray training, this is _nothing_!" she beamed.

 _She's not even gasping!_

His eyes widened as she chowed down another mouthful.

 _This bunny... she is to be feared!_

"Thought I was a naive little hick who didn't know what vindaloo was?" she chuckled.

Nick laughed.

"And here I was thinking I was getting dinner and a show!"

"Speaking of 'show', your fly is undone," Judy mumbled through her mouthful.

He rolled his eyes.

"You'll have to do better than that!" he said.

"Um... actually..." she trailed off, looking away and placing a paw over her eyes.

Nick froze.

 _Shit._

He looked down.

"Gotcha!" Judy laughed, triumphant.

He shook his head and face-pawed.

 _Chump._

"'Eat your food, it'll get cold!'" Judy mimicked, holding a forkful of vindaloo up to him.

He grimaced.

"I'd prefer the masala, actually," he reached over to grab it from the coffee table.

"Oh no, you don't get away that easy!" she covered his nose, making him gasp and open his mouth.

She crammed a glob of the hot curry in.

He went to get a napkin-

"No spitting it out!" she commanded.

"Mmphh!" he pleaded, cheeks full.

Her eyes were bright with humor.

"What, too hot for you, s _weetheart?_ " she teased.

 _If I wasn't in agony, that would be sexy._

His eyes watered but he swallowed.

He lurched for the cub soda and gulped.

His throat was on fire and his lips throbbed from the heat.

She just sat there, calmly eating her vindaloo.

"You're gonna have to toughen up, Wilde!" she tutted before swallowing.

She grabbed the TV remote.

"Is it okay if we watch TV?" she said.

Nick wiped his sweaty paw pads on a napkin.

"You don't have to ask. It's your place too, right?" he said, his throat still burning.

"Well, you know," she trailed off, ears tinged pink.

 _That could just be the curry._

"Nope, don't have a clue. Fill me in?" he said, grabbing a handful of coconut-coated banana.

She nudged him.

"I don't want you to think I'm mooching off you," she mumbled, taking a sip of soda.

 _Aw._

"What else do we have here..." she looked at the brown paper bags on the coffee table.

She saw the DVD. "I've heard this is a classic! I'll put it on."

Judy tapped on the remotes and the video played.

"Wow."

Nick chuckled. "Yeah."

"They really are..."

"Naked? Yes. Yes they are," he quirked an eyebrow at her.

"You did this on purpose!"

"Duh. Calm down. Here, have a pappadum," he offered her the paper bag.

"You're a pappadum!"

"That was hurtful, Carrots."

* * *

"That was a good movie!" Judy said, stretching out her legs as the credits rolled.

Nick shook his head.

"You're just full of surprises. I thought after your reaction at the Mystic Springs Oasis that this would have you in a fit!"

She shrugged.

"It was done tastefully," she said.

Nick sighed and took 'The Lion King' DVD out of the player and put it back into its case.

Judy looked at him thoughtfully.

"I get the feeling you're trying to make me have an emotional outburst," she said before taking a sip of soda.

Nick picked up the food containers and took them to the sink.

He was quiet for a moment.

"More like, I wanted you to have an outlet," he said softly.

Judy blinked and followed him.

"An outlet?"

Nick turned from the sink, shrugging.

"You've been through a lot recently, Carrots. Everyone needs to let off steam somehow."

She smiled.

"Thanks, Nick. I do feel better, so I guess it worked!" she smiled up at him.

"You know what else would help?" she asked.

"I'm not eating any more vindaloo for your sadistic pleasure," he dead-panned.

Her ears reddened.

"I was gonna say 'a hug', but..."

He rolled his eyes. "You bunnies and your hugs."

Still, he opened up his arms.

She leaned in and wrapped her arms around his middle.

 _He's so warm._

"Thank you, Nick," she whispered, rubbing her cheek against him.

She could hear his heart beating.

Very quickly.

Blushing, she pulled away.

"I-I'm gonna go take a shower then hit the hay," she said, putting her paws behind her back shyly.

He just nodded.

She heard Nick's phone ring as she walked to the bathroom.

* * *

Finnick stood on the porch of Vivienne's apartment.

 _Man, I could use a drink._

He grabbed his sobriety chip with one paw, his phone in the other.

 _Or sixty._

He took a deep breath as the call dialed.

" _Hey, Finn. What's up?"_ Nick answered. _"Oh, how's Ma?"_

Finnick swallowed.

"She's alright, Nick."

" _Good, one of the girls said she was depressed or something?"_

Finnick's ears drooped.

"Yeah, there was a problem 'tween her and me. It's all good now, though," he said.

" _Ah. So, what can I do for you, big guy?"_

"Er, uh- I gotta ask you somethin'!" Finnick managed.

" _'kay. What is it?"_

Finnick fiddled with the chip in his paw. "Y-you may wanna punch me or somethin', I'm warnin' you!"

" _Fists on standby,"_ Nick chuckled.

"...I wanna ask your permission, to uh..."

" _Get speech therapy? Go for it,"_ Nick said dryly.

"This is serious!" Finnick snapped.

Nick was silent.

"Sorry man, I'm real nervous," he said.

" _It's just me, bud. What's there to be nervous about?"_

Finnick scrunched his eyes closed.

"I want your permission to date your ma!" he blurted.

He flinched, preparing for an angry tirade.

" _What, you two weren't dating already?"_ Nick said.

Finnick nearly dropped the phone.

" _How dumb do you think I am, Finn? I could smell it."_

Silence hung heavy between them.

"You there, Nick?" Finnick said eventually.

" _Yeah."_

Silence.

" _Please tell me I don't have to call you 'daddy'!"_

" _Hell_ no!" Finnick said with a shudder.

" _'Cause you know, that'd be weird,"_ Nick said.

"Real weird."

" _Heh."_

"Haha..."

Finnick took a deep breath.

"So... that an 'okay', or...?"

" _Oh, sure. I mean, it's up to Ma, not me!"_ Nick replied.

"Yeah... so... we, we cool then?"

" _'Course we are, big guy! You're good for each other."_

He sat on the step, sagging with relief. "Thanks man, that... that means a lot."

" _Finn,"_ Nick's tone became serious.

"Yeah?"

" _Don't break her heart. I'm counting on you,"_ Nick said.

Finnick stood up straight.

"...I hear you, Nick. I got this."

" _Good. Later!"_

"Ciao," Finnick hung up and rubbed a paw tiredly over his eyes.

"Finn?" Vivienne called from inside.

"Comin'."

Finnick walked back inside her apartment.

Vivienne leaned on the banister, one eyebrow arched.

"Were you asking my son's permission, like a gentle-mammal?"

He cleared his throat.

"...Maybe."

She chuckled, "-so do _I_ get a say, or do I have to wave a handkerchief like some damsel?"

"It was the right thing to do, is all," he muttered.

Vivienne's eyes softened and she took his paw in hers.

He let her lead him up the stairs, blushing when the nearby girls giggled.

"Sounds like it went well," she said.

"Yeah, he was cool with it,"

 _I think._

 _...mostly._

Vivienne gently ruffled the fur between his ears.

The tension dissipated at her touch.

Finnick found himself grinning.

"You should smile more, it suits you," she said.

She opened the door to her bedroom.

His nerves came rushing back.

"I can sleep in the den. I don't have to... uh..." his ears felt like they were on fire.

She gave his paw a gentle squeeze.

"We don't have to rush. It would just be nice to have you with me," she said softly.

He couldn't help but smile.

"Arrite."

* * *

Nick hung up.

He made his way over to the coffee table and set his phone down.

He sunk into the couch, resting his head in his paws.

"...Nick?" Judy said.

He jumped.

"Out of the shower already?" he said, his voice higher pitched than he intended.

Judy tilted her head at him.

Her fur looked so soft from the dryer.

"Are you okay? You look upset."

He tried to smile it off, but couldn't.

"I don't think I can talk about it," he admitted.

She looked hurt and her ears drooped a little.

He shook his head.

"It's just... _really_ awkward."

"Okay..." she said.

Nick looked at his phone, thinking.

"...you have the Furbook app?"

Judy blinked.

"Yeah?"

Nick scratched nervously at the back of his neck.

"Look, I don't _really_ wanna talk about it, but my inner adult is saying I should, so..."

He wiggled his phone.

"I'd feel better typing it rather than saying it," he said.

Judy nodded.

"Okay, I'll send you a friend request."

Ten minutes later, each in their own bed, Nick told her about the conversation with Finnick.

"Sorry I couldn't tell you face to face," he typed afterward.

The speech bubble popped up with a chirp.

"That's okay. At least you told me or I would have worried," she replied.

 _Aww._

He could hear her typing through the wall.

"I understand why you would feel uncomfortable," she sent.

"I know it shouldn't bother me," he typed.

"It's a complicated situation. Who's the one who told me 'real life is messy?'"

She sent a winking emoji.

"You're allowed to feel what you feel. The main thing is that you got it off your chest," she sent.

He sighed.

"I knew he was way older than me, but I still can't get my head around it. I feel really messed up about it."

He hovered this thumb over the send button for a moment.

 _Delete?_

 _Better to be honest._

Send.

"I'm proud of you," she typed.

It caught him off-guard.

"Why?"

"You're opening up even though it's hard. You said all the right things to Finnick so that they could be happy, even though it was hard."

He sighed, but the smile had returned to his face.

"Thanks, Carrots. That helps."

"Anytime, Nick! Brb"

 _Huh?_

He heard her door open and she burst into his room.

Before he could blink Judy had leaped up onto his bed.

She threw her arms around his neck.

"Woah!"

He didn't have a shirt on!

"You have a good heart, Nick," she whispered.

"It's... just you rubbing off on me," he replied shakily.

He let himself close his eyes, savoring her warmth.

 _Just for a second._

She pulled back and smiled at him.

It felt like butterflies were thrashing around in his chest.

She reached out a paw like she was going to stroke his cheek-

-but she pulled it away.

She squeezed his paw instead.

"Glad I could help. Good night!"

He smiled at the sound of her feet pattering back to her room.

Her door closed.

Nick chuckled.

He got out of bed, taking his phone off the charger.

"Knock knock, neighbor," he joked.

Judy opened the door a crack.

"You got work tomorrow?" he asked.

Judy shook her head. "I'm on the roster for the day after, though."

"Got any plans?"

She blinked and looked at him, confused.

"No, why?"

He rubbed his paw over the back of his neck, looking up at the ceiling.

"I was planning on meeting up with someone... important," he said.

"What, you have a date?" Judy joked, raising an eyebrow.

Nick nodded. "Well, hopefully,"

Her ears fell.

"Oh. Okay, so uh," she fidgeted with one of her ears, flustered. "You want me to stay somewhere else, give you two some privacy?"

It took all his effort to keep the delight at her disappointment from showing.

He shook his head. "No, I'd like to introduce you two, actually."

She frowned. "You've been in hospital, how did you get yourself a date? Is it one of the nurses?"

"I have a photo, actually. Wanna see?" he said.

She attempted to smile.

"S-sure!"

It was hilarious – he had to stifle a chuckle.

"Okay, so this gal means a lot to me, so I want you to like her too."

 _Did she just twitch?_

"I'm... sure I will," she managed.

He swiped on his phone.

"Here," he passed it to her.

His heart thudded painfully.

 _This is it._

She took her paw from the door and it drifted open behind her.

"N-Nick..."

He waited a moment before taking the phone back to smile at the picture.

He had taken it at The Den cafe.

Judy had her eyes closed, chewing a mouthful of pie.

Blueberries stained her lips.

She looked so happy.

"Do you remember?" he said softly.

She nodded. "I was scared it was just a dream."

Her eyes flew to his.

He bent down a little so they were eye-level.

"Let me take you on a date tomorrow, Judy," he said, smiling.

He struggled to contain his joy as the smile slowly grew on her face.

"O-okay," she whispered.

"Okay," he nodded. "Tomorrow, then. You need directions to my place?"

She chuckled. "I think I've been there before."

"Good, good. Sweet dreams, Carr-"

He cleared his throat, "...sweet dreams, Judy."

Despite his best efforts, he was blushing furiously.

Her eyes were shining.

 _Wait._

"Are you okay? You look like you're gonna cry-" he began.

Judy shook her head.

"I'm just so happy," she whispered.

 _I think I got a fever again._

"N-night!" he walked back to his room before he gave in to the urge to hug the stuffing out of her.

"Good night... Nicholas."

 _Aaaand I'm gone._

Heart racing, he closed the door behind him.

He touched his paw to the wall.

 _Finally._

He flopped happily onto his bed.

Clutching his pillow to his chest, he reveled in her lingering scent.

Ideas whirred through his head for tomorrow.

He probably wouldn't get much sleep at this rate.

A soft smile on his lips, he nuzzled his head into his pillow.

 _I can live with that._

* * *

A/N: If you enjoyed it, please let me know! It helps justify my lack of work/life/writing balance! (^o^)

Thanks for reading! Chapter 20 is underway. I'm on Tumblr under the same name if you have any q's!


	20. What to Wear?

A/N: Avast matey, thar be fluff and spice aplenty for all! Ye be warned! (dang, I'm one month too early for talk like a pirate day!)

* * *

Vivienne led Finnick into her room, closing the door behind them.

He noticed the en-suite. "Uh, you mind if I shower real quick?"

"Sure. But first, could you..."

Vivienne turned around and looked over her shoulder at him.

"...could you unzip me? I really can't reach it."

The creamy fur tipping her ears darkened.

He blinked a few times.

 _Is she... blushin'?_

It was like seeing a solar eclipse.

He knew he shouldn't look, but who knew if he would ever see it again?

Finnick swallowed.

"...arrite."

She sat on the edge of the bed, her back to him.

He pulled the zipper on her dress down slowly, careful not to get her fur caught.

"T-thank you," she said, covering her back with her tail.

He shook his head. "You're freakin' adorable, you know that?"

 _Whoa, she's real red now!_

"Go and shower already!" she mumbled, tucking her wagging tail under her dress.

He chuckled softly and went to the en-suite.

* * *

Finnick turned the taps off and wiped the water from his eyes.

He got out of the shower and grabbed the nearest towel.

It smelled like her.

 _Sweet, like maple syrup._

He dressed and quietly opened the door.

Vivienne was standing at the foot of the bed, dressed in a t-shirt.

She was frowning at a heap of clothes spread over the covers.

"Hey," he said.

She jumped. "Oh, hi!"

Her tail flicked around to cover her legs.

Finnick raised an eyebrow. "You plan on skippin' town or somethin'?"

"Heh, I thought you'd be a bit longer. I... can't decide on what to wear."

He looked at her quizzically.

"To _bed_?"

"Well, you know! I normally just wear t-shirts like this," she gestured to the black t-shirt she was wearing.

"...But I thought I should go to more trouble," her ears slid sideways.

"It's just me, Viv," he said softly.

"It's not 'just you', it's _you_!" she said, smoothing her tail fur with nervous fingers.

 _This lady's gonna melt my heart right outta my chest!_

"The shirt you got on is good," he said.

She looked at him, incredulous.

"I just had this on until I decided! This is the _least_ sexy thing I own!" she gestured to the Fur Fighters logo.

He chuckled.

"It's good, Viv. Get that shit off the bed already!"

Vivienne rolled her eyes but scooped up the nighties and lingerie and dumped them on the floor.

"Happy?"

"Happiest I ever been," Finnick said, climbing up onto the bed.

She smiled and got under the covers, clapping to turn the light off.

He turned away to unbutton his shirt.

"I can totally see you, Finn. My eyes aren't that fucked."

He jumped.

"So close 'em or somethin'! Don't go thinkin' I'm easy!" he said, blushing.

"Okay, closed."

He dropped his shirt and pants to the floor.

"Ooh, you're _buff_!" she giggled.

"Hey!" he stammered, feeling exposed in only his boxers.

He lay down, arms stiffly by his sides.

Vivienne shifted towards him and slowly touched her nose to his.

They both chuckled, self-conscious and nervous.

His heart pounded, not helped by the look in her eyes.

Her voice echoed in his mind.

" _I got lips... ruby and sweet..."_

Finnick felt his ears throb with heat.

 _Don't rush!_

Her breath tickled, in the best way.

She stroked his cheek.

He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch.

He felt himself drifting off to sleep.

She gently pushed him onto his other side and curled herself around him, slipping her paw into his.

"Goodnight, Finn," she whispered in his ear, squeezing his paw.

"...'Night, Viv."

He squeezed back.

* * *

Judy stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes aching.

She felt torn between excitement and nervousness.

 _A date with Nick..._

Turning over again, she kicked the tangled sheets away from her feet.

A light flickered on her phone.

Rubbing her eyes, she sat up.

Her phone read 4:00 AM.

 _Well, if I'm not going to get any sleep..._

Sighing, she took her phone off the charger and unlocked it.

Thirteen missed calls from 'Mom and Dad'.

Five texts from her dad.

 _We need 2 talk._

Swipe.

 _Judith, please call me._

Swipe.

 _Where R U?_

Swipe.

 _R U safe?_

She swiped to the most recent – she received it only two minutes earlier.

 _I'm so sorry._

Judy slipped out of bed and made her way to the back door, unlocking it.

Phone in her paw, she stood on the veranda.

Her father was awake - he always was at this hour.

 _This is never going to get any easier. Suck it up._

She shuddered, though the breeze was mild.

Resigned, she hit 'call'.

It picked up almost immediately.

" _Judith!"_

"...Dad."

" _H-how are you?"_

Judith bit her lip. "I have been better, Dad."

The wind whistled through the tall grass.

" _Judy, listen-_ _I never wanted to hurt you."_

"But you did. You drugged me-"

" _Bellwether- she said it would just help you to rest."_

"You could have killed me. I'm still going through withdrawal!" Judy struggled to keep her voice down.

Stunned silence.

" _I'm an idiot, Jude."_

 _Not going to argue with you on that one, Dad._

She sighed heavily. "I'm never going to quit being a cop."

" _...I know."_

"I'm still living with Nick."

" _Is it... serious?"_

Her face softened. "I want it to be."

" _In that case, I gotta tell you something, Judy. It's real hard to admit."_

Judy blinked. "Okay, I'm listening."

" _You remember when you were nine? We talked about dreams and... settling?"_

"Yeah," she replied.

" _Well, my dream was to marry... a vixen."_

Her eyebrows shot up.

" _...Tammy Grey."_

Judy's jaw fell open.

"Gideon's mom?"

" _Yeah. We were together before I married your mother. But...we got sick of the hate and fighting against the tide. So... we gave up."_

Judy's ears fell. "Yet you had the nerve to give me a hard time!"

" _I didn't want you to make the same mistake as me. I just thought you oughtta know since you have the same affliction as me... with Nick."_

She scowled.

"Dad, it's not an 'affliction'."

" _You live in a different time, Judy."_

She stayed silent.

Her father sighed.

" _I messed up real bad. I know you won't forgive me overnight."_

Judy rubbed her eyes. "No, I won't," she agreed.

" _...but I'm gonna try to find a way to make it up to you."_

Judy sat up. "Well, for one, stop treating Gideon badly."

" _I can do that."_

"And... I want to introduce Nick to you."

" _...I met him and Vivienne at the hospital."_

"I can't imagine that you were nice," Judy said lowly.

Stu cleared his throat.

" _I wasn't. I'll explain more about Vivienne another time."_

"You need to apologize to them, too."

"... _Yeah, I do,"_ Stu mumbled.

Judy could hear background chatter.

" _Listen, honey, I gotta go. I love you, Judith,"_ her father's voice was thick with emotion.

Judy took a deep breath.

"You too. But you have a _lot_ of work ahead of you."

" _I know."_

Judy stood up. "Goodnight, Dad."

Stu chuckled. _"Good morning, Jude-the-dude."_

Judy felt her mouth twitch in a tiny smile.

She hung up.

Never in a million years would she have guessed that her father had wanted to marry a fox.

 _Is that why he had an aversion to them?_

 _Because he had loved one?_

Looking up, she saw the stars beginning to fade as the sky turned to dawn.

 _Maybe I can get an hour or two of sleep._

Yawning, she walked back to her bedroom.

 _Then on to happier times._

She smiled.

 _With Nick._

* * *

Judy's alarm clock ticked over to six a.m.

She sighed and finally gave up on trying to sleep.

Her head throbbed.

She padded out to the kitchen and grabbed the Tygernol, downing it with a mouthful of OJ.

Back in her room, she opened her closet, careful not to wake Nick.

Shirts. Jeans. Uniforms.

 _What am I going to wear?!_

"Knock, knock?"

Judy jumped. "You're awake, Nick?"

"No. Your door has become sentient," he joked from the other side of the door.

She chuckled nervously.

"I'm – I'm not dressed yet."

"'Kay. Wanna go get some breakfast at The Den?"

"Sure! Just give me twenty minutes."

Judy looked back to her closet.

Her ears fell.

* * *

Nick looked at his phone.

It had been over an hour.

His stomach growled.

He got up from the couch and walked over to Judy's room.

"I don't mean to rush you, it's just that my stomach is starting to eat itself," he called out.

The door creaked open.

"I-I can't go out with you, Nick," she said, only her head around the door, eyes downcast.

His ears slid back.

 _What did I do wrong?_

"Why the change of heart?" he said, trying to hide the hurt in his face.

Judy looked up at him and backpedaled.

"No, not like that! I mean, I don't have anything date-y to wear!"

He face-pawed.

"That's all?! Geez, don't do that to me!" he said, curter than he meant it to be.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

He took a deep breath.

"I don't care what you wear, I just wanna go out with you," he said, his voice more gentle.

Judy sighed and opened the door.

Nick smiled.

"See? That looks great! I don't know what you were worried about!" he said, shaking his head.

"It's just my jeans and pink shirt, I wear it all the time!" she said.

He shrugged.

"So? I'm not here for your wardrobe, dumb bunny," he smiled.

Judy chuckled.

"Sorry, I haven't... this is my first...I mean, official..."

"Date?" he finished.

She nodded shyly.

"Leave it to me, I got your back," he said.

He moved to the right and put on an authoritative voice.

"Step one: apologize to the poor guy for making him wait."

Judy fiddled with one of her ears.

"Sorry for making you wait," she said.

Nick moved back to the left.

"Oh, you know, it's okay, I live nearby, so it was no biggie."

Judy smiled and shook her head.

He smiled and moved right again.

"So this is where you say: 'why Nick, you look particularly handsome today!'"

Judy elbowed him in the ribs.

"You're milking it," she chuckled. "So, are we getting a cab?"

Nick shook his head.

"I checked on my phone – The Den is actually not that far from here. I'd love to stretch my legs."

Judy frowned a little.

"As long as you don't overdo it," she said.

Nick nodded and grabbed his keys.

"I just got out of hospital. I know to pace myself. Unlike _somebunny_ I know!"

Judy chuckled. "My memories of that are still a little fuzzy."

"How appropriate! 'Cause you're-"

"'A little fuzzy'. Har har."

"I'm gonna have to up my game, I see!" Nick smiled.

* * *

They walked down the street for a while.

The sky was overcast, but it was warm outside.

Judy yawned.

"Enjoying the company, then?" Nick said dryly.

She covered her mouth with both paws.

"I'm so sorry Nick! It's not you, I just didn't get much sleep last night."

He smiled.

"Me neither."

When he realized he was gazing at her, he blushed and looked away.

They stole glances at each other every few steps, before chuckling.

 _Phew, I'm nervous!_

He held out his paw.

 _Am I rushing this?_

 _Maybe I shouldn't have-_

-she slipped her paw into his and smiled up at him.

 _So soft!_

"Look at them, mommy!" a voice called out in front of them.

A bear cub, holding his mother's paw, pointed at them.

"Shh!" the mother hushed, shooting them a disapproving glare.

Nick kept a cool facade as they walked past the whispering mammals.

"I'm not against it, but in _public_? Jeez."

"How do I explain _that_ to my kid?!"

 _Oh, prejudice. Forgot about you._

"Tough crowd," Nick joked, expecting to see Judy looking hurt.

Instead, she was fuming.

Nick went to pull his paw away, but she grasped it tight.

"No Nick, _they're_ the ones with the problem, not us!" she said firmly.

"Okay, calm down, Carrots. We don't want to make a scene."

He went to pull away again.

Judy shook her head and looked up at him, determined. "I'm _not_ letting go. We have to fight against the tide!"

Nick blinked.

 _That's a bit dramatic for a Saturday morning._

He felt himself redden at the stares.

His nose twitched.

"We've walked past the turn off to The Den," he said, grateful for the distraction.

Judy looked behind her.

"Oops."

"Not to worry!" Nick led her down an alleyway, "-I know a shortcut."

They weaved between houses, fences and alleys a while.

"This is kind of trespassing," Judy said as she followed him through a gap in the fence.

"Well, I hope you don't arrest me, _officer._ I intend to do some more breaking and entering today!" he wiggled his eyebrows.

Judy stopped, pulling Nick back with her.

"What?" he let go of her paw.

She was so red that the white fur on her chin was tinged pink.

"Y-you're very forward!" she whispered.

Nick blinked.

"What?" he repeated.

 _What did I say?_

' _Arrest'?_

 _'Breaking and entering'?_

He froze.

His composure went to water.

"N-n-no Judy oh God! I _swear_ I didn't mean it that way!" he stuttered.

"You didn't?"

"No!" he exclaimed.

She looked disappointed.

That did nothing for his composure.

"Okay, no more misunderstandings. It was gonna be a surprise, but I wanna take you somewhere that _involves_ a little breaking and entering."

Judy blinked.

"And you thought that was a good idea for a first date with a cop?" she raised an eyebrow.

Nick sighed, his face still hot.

"It's all good, trust me. I'll explain it when we get there. Let's just get some breakfast."

He took a deep breath through his nose.

 _Mmm... coffee!_

"Ah, here we are!" he said.

They walked down the wooden steps into The Den cafe.

"Hi, guys! Good to see you back!" the hyena said from behind the coffee machine.

Nick waved. "Maggie, right?"

She nodded. "Zander!"

A wolf popped his head from out of the kitchen.

"Could you get the seat adjuster?"

Zander nodded and returned with it for Judy.

"Good to see you two!" he said before dashing back to the kitchen.

Judy climbed up the rungs of the seat.

Nick handed her a menu.

"T-thanks," she stuttered, still blushing.

It had all been innocent on his part until that misunderstanding.

Now it was all he could think about.

" _Aww, does me being nekkid make you uncomfortable?"_ her voice echoed in his head.

He opened up his own menu and pretended to read it.

" _Why won't you come and hug me?"_

Nick swallowed.

"You want some coffee?" Maggie appeared out of nowhere. "We're out of pies, but we do have carrot cake?"

Nick's eye twitched.

" _EAT ME."_

He saw Judy blush and hide behind her menu.

"A c-cappuccino, please. Still have the vanilla flavor?" he mumbled.

Maggie gave him a toothy grin.

"Sure do! What about you, Officer Hopps?"

Judy blinked.

"You know my name?"

Maggie chuckled.

"Who doesn't! Thank you for putting Bellwether away! Er, again!"

"Oh, s-sure?" Judy said. "Can I get a small coffee, not too strong?"

"With milk? We have coconut, soy, almond-"

"Ooh, coconut sounds good!" Judy grinned, "-and the fruit platter, please."

"Sure thing. What about you, Nick?"

"The muesli, please," he said.

Maggie took their menus and bustled away.

Nick took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry about before," he said softly.

Judy shook her head. "I have a dirtier mind than you, I guess-"

She paused.

"Wait, you said that about me at the movies, right?"

"Woah, that's stretching the gray matter there, Carrots," Nick thought for a moment.

"I think so," he said finally, as Maggie brought their coffees over.

Judy blew on hers and took a sip.

"Yum."

Nick chuckled.

"It's good, right? Didn't think you drank coffee," he said, taking a sip of his cappuccino.

"Sometimes. Like for a test at the academy..."

She eyed him shyly, "-or when I've been up all night thinking about a certain fox," she said.

He nearly choked on his coffee.

Swallowing, he raised an eyebrow at her.

"You're very _forward,_ " he teased.

Luckily, she laughed.

So he joined in.

"Here you go guys," Maggie placed their food in front of them. "Enjoy!"

They ate in comfortable silence for a while.

Nick looked at Judy's plate.

"I thought you liked blueberries," he said, pointing to the growing pile of them in a corner of her plate.

"I do! But uh," she gave him a coy smile, "-you _really_ love them, so I'm setting them aside for you," she said.

 _Don't let her see how much she gets to you!_ his brain warned him.

But his heart won the match.

"That... may be the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me," he said, returning her smile.

Judy just gazed at him.

He watched her pupils dilate.

A flutter of excitement danced in his chest.

 _She... really_ is _into me?_

He cleared his throat and pretended to think.

"Oh no, wait... there was this bunny who saved my life twice. Or was it three times?" he said, counting on his paw.

Judy blushed. "Oh, be quiet and have a blueberry!"

"I accept your terms," Nick said, holding out his paw.

"Wait," Judy put half the blueberries in his paw and held the other half in hers.

"I used to do this back home, my parents hated it!" she leaned back and threw a blueberry up high in the air.

She moved her head slightly and caught it in her mouth, chewing triumphantly.

Nick grinned.

"Oh, it's _on_!"

He leaned back and copied her.

* * *

"That's why my parents didn't like it. They always worried we'd choke," Judy said, apologetic.

"I didn't choke, I was overcome by the flavor," Nick said as they left the cafe.

Judy gently held his paw.

"I'm glad you're alright," she said softly.

Nick chuckled. "I'm fine, I just coughed at the wrong time."

He smiled at her.

"Thank you for breakfast," she said, returning the smile. "So, where to now?"

He tilted his head. "This way."

They walked paw in paw down a few alleys.

Nick started pushing the bricks of a building covered in graffiti.

"It should be around here somewhere," he said.

He sniffed the air.

"Aha!"

Nick pulled out a loose brick, revealing a key.

"How could you tell?" Judy asked.

Nick held up a strawberry scratch 'n' sniff sticker.

"A little family trick. You won't find it if you don't know what you're sniffing for," he tapped his nose.

Judy smiled. "That's pretty cool!"

"Cool? You ain't seen nothing yet!" Nick grinned.

He walked around to the back of the building and turned the key in the door.

It groaned as he pulled it open.

Judy blinked at the darkness.

"Hold tight," Nick ducked inside.

"I wonder if Ma still pays the power bill..." Nick flicked on a switch.

The room echoed with the bleeps of arcade machines whirring to life.

He pressed a button and the ceiling became luminescent with glow-in-the-dark stars.

"Welcome to Wilde Times!" he said with a grin.

Judy looked in wonder as Nick ran around the room, whisking the sheets off the machines.

"It was my Dad's! Well, and Ma's. Whaddya think?" he said, arms out wide.

"This is so cool!" Judy bounced on the balls of her feet.

Nick beamed.

 _And there I was worrying for nothing!_

Judy clapped her paws together excitedly.

"Do you have a "Fix-it Feline Junior? That was the only arcade machine at the diner back home!"

Nick scoffed.

"Do we have a Fix-it Feline Junior!"

He pulled off another sheet with a flourish.

Judy squealed and dashed over to it.

"I had the high score!" she said proudly, pressing the buttons to start the game.

"Not bad, Officer Fluff!" Nick chuckled.

After she ran out of lives, she groaned.

"I'm just rusty! I bet you couldn't do any better," she huffed.

Nick took the controls.

"Please. Now, _this_ , I really have been doing since I was born!" he said with a cocky grin on his face.

* * *

"Wow Nick, I'm impressed! That's higher than I ever got!" Judy held her paw up for a high five.

 _Ugh. She's too cute._

"I gotta ask," she began, "-was this the 'breaking and entering' you were referring to? You have a key."

Nick shrugged.

"Ma would... _strongly prefer_ for me not to come in here. To her, it's kinda like a shrine to Dad, I guess."

Judy nodded and smiled.

"Thank you for showing me, this is very special," she said.

Nick leaned his elbow on the front counter. "What can I say, you're a special gal."

Judy reached for his paw wordlessly, smiling up at him.

His heart skipped a beat

 _I feel like my skin is the only thing stopping me from going everywhere at once!_

She took her paw away, ears pink.

"Ooh, is that from 'Yak to the Future?'" Judy raced over to the silver car.

He joined her and patted the door affectionately.

"Yep. Wanna see inside?"

"Sure!"

Nick pushed a button and the door opened upwards.

Well, mostly.

"It's a bit busted. There's a manual override hang on," Nick fumbled beneath the car seat and the door lifted all the way up.

Judy jumped into the DeerLorean, eyes wide at the flickering lights.

"Hop in, partner!" she patted the seat.

Nick chuckled and sat next to her.

The door closed.

"So what's this ride do?" Judy asked.

"Not much," he pointed at the black screen. "It just showed 'Yak to the Future II' and moved a little."

He chuckled.

"It was more popular as a make-out spot for teenagers," he said.

"Oh." Judy studied her paws.

Nick winced.

 _Smooth, dumbass._

"I didn't uh..." he leaned down to open the door but Judy put a paw over his.

"Did you... ever make out with any girls in here?" she asked.

He swallowed.

"I told you, didn't I? My first kiss was two weeks ago... with you," he muttered, unable to meet her eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to forget," Judy said, squeezing his paw.

 _Thud thud thud._

"You never dated?" she asked.

"I did. I just never got that far with any of the vixens I dated. I didn't want to."

He scratched the back of his neck. "Pathetic, huh?"

Judy shook her head.

"You're talking to a bunny who has _never_ dated," she said.

Her pupils were huge.

Nick had to steady his breathing.

"Maybe we were waiting for each other?" she said so softly he thought he had misheard her.

 _Sure is a confined space in here._

She leaned in, her breath hot in his ear.

"True or false: we made out in the grass back home?"

He could hear his own frantic pulse thrumming through his ears.

"True," he breathed.

She brought her face close to his-

 _BANG!_

There was a loud thud and shouts from outside, and the door lifted.

A baseball bat appeared.

"What the hell do you thugs think you're do- Judy? Nick?"

Nick may as well have been doused with ice cold water.

"Ma. Finnick. Fancy seeing you here," he said through gritted teeth.

In her haste to get out, Judy sat on one of the console buttons.

" _Great Scott!"_

* * *

A/N: I'm on Tumblr under the same name if you have any questions or comments! Shout out to all my followers: thank you for being awesome!

Reviews are always treasured. ^/^ Or feel free to PM me.

Thank you for reading, see you same time next week. You guys are the blue to my berry!^_~

Massive thanks, as always, to my betas.


	21. Full Snow Moon

Nick and Judy scrambled to get out of the Deerlorean, limbs flailing.

Finnick laughed at the sight of them and lowered the bat. "Oh Nick man, I'm sorry!"

Judy bounced to her feet, ears red.

"Sorry Fuzz, didn't mean to ruin nothin'. We'll get outta yo fur," Finnick said with a chuckle.

He offered his paw to Nick, who took it reluctantly and stood.

"C'mon Viv. Ain't no thugs, so let's leave 'em be-" he looked up to Vivienne beside him.

 _Shit._

Her ears were back, tail puffed out with all fur standing on end.

"Nicholas," she began, her voice soft.

Nick sighed. "Ma, I knew if I asked, you'd say no and... I really wanted to bring Judy here."

Beeps and digitized chatter echoed around the arcade.

Vivienne's scowl deepened. "You tripped the silent alarm. I thought I was being robbed. You know these machines are _irreplaceable_!"

Nick ran a paw over a nearby pinball machine. "I know. I've had so many good memories here... but I don't want it to be a mausoleum."

Finnick exchanged a confused glance with Judy.

Vivienne looked up and met her son's gaze, folding her arms. "That isn't up to you. This place belongs to _me_. I can do with it as I please. Right now, I want you to leave."

Finnick put a gentle paw on her elbow. "Viv, it's no big deal-"

Vivienne rounded on him.

The look in her amber eyes chilled the blood in his veins. "You have _no_ idea what I put myself through to hold onto this place. It's all I have left of John!"

Finnick's ears fell.

 _You had me, Viv... you still have me._

Nick put his paw on his mother's shoulder. "I'm sorry, okay? I just wanted to share the good times I had with Judy."

"A-and it was fun, thank you Viv- we'll go now," Judy said, giving her an apologetic smile.

 _I'm gonna wreck it!_ Wreck-it-Rhino called out from across the room.

"Forget it. Do what you want," Vivienne said, turning on her heel.

Nick's paw was left hanging in the air as the heavy door closed with a clank.

Finnick chuckled, but there was no humor in it.

 _John Wilde, you one hell of a ghost._

"Guess some shoes are jus' too big for me to fill, huh?"

 _Did I say that out loud?_

Judging from the crestfallen expressions on Nick and Judy's faces, he must have.

"I'm gonna go. Ciao," Finnick mumbled.

He slammed the door closed behind him.

* * *

The lights flickered.

Judy shook herself out of her stupor.

"I'm sorry, Nick," she said, putting her paw on his forearm.

Nick quirked an eyebrow at her. "What have you got to be sorry about?"

"Your mom... I didn't mean to cause any trouble," she said, frowning.

Nick waved a paw, nonchalant. "She'll cool down, Carrots. Don't worry."

He coughed.

"You're still getting over the flu – maybe we should get you away from the dust, 'kay?" she suggested.

Nick sighed. "Sorry, our date..."

Judy put her paws on her hips. "Well, the day isn't over yet!"

He smiled at her.

"Ever the optimist, huh?"

 _Growl._

Nick chuckled. "Guess you're hungry?"

"...maybe a little," she muttered.

Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "Hey, it _is_ lunch time. Zander recommended a place in Tundratown. It's supposed to be inter... I mean, 'us'  
friendly," he muttered.

"Sounds good!" Judy said. "Although, should we be going there while you're recovering?"

Her smile was replaced with a look of concern.

"We'll be inside, it'll be fine!" He grinned, turning up the charm.

"Oh, alright. But if you get sick, it's on your tail!" Judy pointed at him.

Nick smiled. "We can get the train – it stops right outside Snow Castle Way," he said.

Judy bounded over to the door. "To the train station!"

He grinned at her and mimed pulling a train horn. "Toot-toot!"

* * *

Nick looked up at the sky.

Clear, blue and cloudless.

Nothing like the frigid breeze that made him shiver.

Buildings towered over them, their icy spires glimmering in the sunshine.

He stood in wonder at the sight of snow falling from the artificial geysers.

No matter how many times he visited Tundratown, it always left him awe-struck.

 _For mammal to have conquered nature itself..._

He shook himself out of his reverie and zipped up the thick coat he had bought from the station.

"Aw Nick, we match!" Judy elbowed Nick in the ribs.

"I cut quite the dashing figure, do I not?" he did a strong-mammal pose.

Judy giggled.

They did have bunny sizes, but only the small buck size was left.

Her excess sleeves drooped.

"Ooh it has a hood!" she discovered, pulling it over her head.

She disappeared beneath it.

Nick smothered a snicker.

 _Cute._

"Whenever you're ready, Fluff," he teased.

They walked along the avenue, the snow crunching beneath their feet.

Judy took a deep breath through her nose. "It smells like Christmas!" she said, looking wide-eyed around them.

Nick nodded in agreement, taking in the towering fir and pine trees either side of them.

Other mammals passed them by, going about their day.

A polar bear carried a crate of fish past them to a waiting truck.

Judy covered her nose. "I don't know how you guys get past the smell!" she said.

Nick suppressed a sigh.

"We don't ALL like fish, Carrots. I'm not a fan of the smell myself, either," he said.

"Oh. Sorry," Judy looked up at him.

Nick nodded, accepting her apology.

Judy breathed on her paws. "I should have bought the mittens," she grumbled.

Nick grinned.

 _Opportunity!_

He was left-pawed, she was right-pawed.

 _A perfect fit._

He walked to her right and casually brushed his paw against hers.

She was too busy marveling at the snowflakes drifting around them.

Sticking out her tongue, she caught one.

 _Ow. The cuteness. It's painful._

They walked a bit further.

Nick bumped his arm by hers, a little harder this time.

 _Hold my damn paw already, rabbit!_

"Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going!" Judy moved aside to give him more space.

Nick sighed and brought his paw to his forehead.

 _What, do I need handcuffs for you to get the message?!_

"Your paws still cold?" he asked.

"Nope! Got 'em in my pockets, now!" Judy replied with a cheerful grin.

 _...dumb bunny._

"Is this it, Nick?" Judy pointed a large castle-style building, 'Enchanted Lodge'.

He craned his neck, trying to see the top of the building.

It was enormous and framed by ice and snow.

"Yeah, this is it," he said, checking the card before slipping it back into his jacket pocket. "It certainly _looks_ enchanted. Maybe you'll get pulled out of a hat?"

Judy smothered a giggle with her paw. "Or maybe you'll kiss a toad princess!"

Nick wiggled his eyebrows. "She should be so lucky!"

Judy shifted from foot to foot. "This looks... expensive."

"Well, it's not just a restaurant, I guess," Nick said. "Come on, let's get some grub."

She walked with him to the entrance, making a face. "You eat grubs?"

"And small baby mammals. You cool with that?" he deadpanned.

Judy chuckled. "But grubs, I mean, blech!"

"Don't knock it 'till you try it!" Nick huffed, pushing open the icy front door.

It was cool, but not as cold inside.

Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, icy beads glittering in the light.

This was a lot fancier than he had expected.

 _And larger – it must have at least thirty floors!_

He couldn't even see the end of the long corridor.

It was more like a mini-mall than a lodge. Cozy boutiques were ensconced along the strip mall.

Soft music whispered through his ears.

They wiped the snow off their feet on the mat.

His mouth watered from the rich aroma of spices wafting from the restaurant.

He and Judy noticed at the same time:

The floor was made of ice.

They both took tentative steps forward, expecting it to be slippery.

A bull elk in a black suit came to greet them.

"I take it this is your first visit?" he said with a warm smile.

"Yeah, it is," Nick said.

"You needn't worry about slipping. This is treated ice, so walk as you normally would. So, what brings you here today?"

"We heard you had a good restaurant?" Nick asked.

The elk nodded. "We have a few, but I think the one you may enjoy the most is Steady Stream," he paused, looking them up and down.

"But I'm afraid the dress code is semi-formal..."

Judy's ears fell. "Oh, that's a shame."

"Well, we have some fashion boutiques that would meet your needs," the elk said.

"Convenient," Nick said with a lopsided smile.

 _Good hustle. Wish I'd thought of that!_

Nick nudged Judy. "Hey droopy, feel like some shopping?"

She wilted. "I don't have a lot to spend-"

"I do, remember?" he smiled. "Let me treat you, huh?"

"In that case," the elk handed them a pamphlet.

 _Massages?_

 _Beauty treatments?_

 _Makeup?_

He rolled his eyes and was about to hand the pamphlet back.

 _Aaand there goes her tail._

"Would you happen to be interested, Judy?" he asked, doing his best to keep his voice even and keep from laughing.

Judy's eyes sparkled.

"If it's okay? Ooh, a massage would be fantastic!" She balled her fists, excited.

Nick nodded. "We'll do that, then."

The elk walked them over to the opulent front desk. "It would be more economical for you to do a package deal. Would you consider staying the night?"

Judy piped up. "Sounds good! Oh," she looked at Nick, uncertain.

"...but only if that's okay with you?" she said, fiddling with the zipper on her jacket.

Nick's throat went dry.

 _Stay?_

 _Night?_

 _Nick's brain isn't here right now..._

He swallowed. "Don't you have work tomorrow, Carrots?"

Judy nodded. "Yeah, but it's the night shift."

 _Pull it together! How is this any different from sleeping in the next room back home?_

"S-sure, we'll take the package deal," he managed.

* * *

Nick sat on the king-sized bed in their hotel room, fidgeting with his cufflinks.

He looked around.

The fireplace crackled cheerfully to itself in the center of the room.

Of course, the _only_ heated suite available for mammals their size was the luxury suite.

 _That elk is a good hustler._

 _Still..._

He walked out to the frosted glass atrium.

 _A jacuzzi?_

 _Is this how some people actually live?_

He pulled at his over-starched collar.

The bathroom was luxurious too – all marble with a waterfall rain shower as the main feature.

That's where Judy was, getting ready.

Making him wait, again.

He sighed and lay back on the bed, smiling.

 _Worth it._

"Nick?"

He sprang to his feet. "Yeah?"

"R-ready for dinner?" she asked.

 _She sounds nervous._

 _Lighten the mood!_

"Am I ever! Especially since this was supposed to be _lunch_. Boy, those massages and beauty things sure do take a whil-"

His jaw fell open as she walked out of the bathroom.

She wore a silky cheongsam dress that matched the vivid hue of her eyes.

It hugged her figure at the waist and split at the leg, without being too revealing.

White and pink flower embroidery danced along her collar.

Her fur shone like burnished silver.

She smoothed out a non-existent wrinkle in her dress with nervous fingers. "I look silly, don't I?"

 _Hey._

 _Nick._

 _Yeah, you._

 _The one standing there like a moron._

He swallowed.

"Judy, you're breathtaking," he whispered.

She blushed.

"You look pretty slick yourself!" she said, walking over to him.

Nick cringed. He had just picked the first suit off the rack, with an emerald green vest over a white shirt.

"Compared to you, I look like a leprechaun!" he blurted.

 _Smooth._

Judy chuckled. "You do not!"

"Well, I certainly got the luck part, getting to take you out to dinner!" Nick said with a soft smile, offering Judy his arm. "Shall we?"

* * *

As they walked to their seats, all eyes were on them. Judy flinched, thinking to the unkind whispers from earlier that day.

 _Need to fight against the tide!_

She needn't have worried. All they received were warm smiles from the other interspecies couples in the restaurant.

A hippo and a cheetah...

A giraffe and a boar...

A quokka and...

Judy peered closer.

...a mouse!

The mouse caught her gaze and beamed, adjusting his tie with pride as he turned back to face his date. The quokka smiled and put a little of his own meal on a claw,

offering it to the mouse to taste.

Judy smiled.

 _Hopefully one day, no one will bat an eyelid... including me._

A squirrel guided them to a table by the window, where they could watch the snow flurries.

She caught Nick staring at her and blushed.

The massage had been blissful, it was like all the stress melted away.

The beauty treatments had also been fun, but she was glad she didn't have to do it all the time.

 _Too high maintenance for a police officer, after all._

Nick's phone vibrated and he took it out to turn it off.

It gave her the opportunity to stare at him.

Whatever treatment they used on her fur must have been used on his.

His fur shone with glints of bronze and flecks of gold here and there.

Seeing him out of his usual outfit was a new experience.

 _He looks so handsome._

"Penny for your thoughts, Carrots?" Nick said with a knowing grin, catching her gaze.

She laughed and held out her wrists. "You got me, rookie! Cuff me!"

He laughed with her.

She looked at the array of silverware beside her plate.

"I don't know how to use most of these," she leaned over and whispered to Nick.

"You think _I_ do? We'll wing it," Nick said, taking a bread roll from the basket.

Their orders didn't take long to arrive.

A pasta and zucchini dish for her, a beetle lasagna for him.

Judy couldn't help but wrinkle her nose. "I'm sure it tastes good, but it doesn't look appealing!"

She offered him a forkful of her meal, "-wanna taste of me?"

Nick dropped his fork on the table.

"Mine! _My_ meal, I mean!" Judy said, flustered.

Nick dabbed his napkin over the lasagna stain on the white tablecloth.

"I know," he mumbled, picking up his fork.

Judy held out her fork again, not meeting his eyes.

After a moment her fork got lighter.

"Mm, pretty good!" Nick said. "Sure you don't want a taste of _this_?" he gestured to his lasagna.

Judy wrinkled her nose. "No thank you," she said.

"You could have ordered wine, you know," Nick said as he sipped his.

Judy shrugged. "Didn't feel like it. Besides, this juice-" she gestured with her glass, "-tastes like liquid sunshine!"

She met his gaze. "Seriously, you've spent enough money on me already!"

Nick shrugged. "If it makes you happy, Judy, then it's worth every penny."

"Being with _you_ makes me happy," she said, taking a bite of her pasta. "Mm, yum."

She tilted her head to the side. "You know I don't expect any of this, right?" she said.

"My wallet expresses its sincere gratitude," he said with a chuckle. He cut himself another slice of lasagna.

She leaned on her palm.

 _His eyes are such a dark green._

Nick looked up and smirked. "I believe this is your second offence, officer."

"Oh shush!" she said, the blush heating her ears once more.

The smirk disappeared and he smiled.

A real, genuine smile.

 _Like under the bridge when I apologized._

Judy drew circles in the condensation on her glass. "Thank you for all of this, Nick. Nobody has ever done anything like this for me before."

Nick shrugged. "It's the least I can do for the gal that changed my life," he said.

His voice was so soft that he probably thought she didn't hear it.

But she did, and it made her smile wider than ever.

Her ears also picked up a change of music:

 _Fly me to the moon_

 _Let me play among the stars_

Nick looked around, then got to his feet.

"Are you finished?"

Judy nodded, disappointed that the evening was already over.

Nick shook his head and moved to the clear space by the window.

 _Let me see what spring is like_

On _Jupiter and Mars_

He held his paw out to her. "I love this song."

Judy looked around, self-conscious. "I can't dance! Besides, I don't think this is the kind of place to do that."

"I don't care," Nick beckoned with his extended paw.

He lip-synced:

 _In other words, hold my hand_

She rolled her eyes but took it.

 _In other words, darling, kiss me_

At this, he planted a light kiss on the top of her head.

Her skin tingled where his lips had been.

He lay his other paw on her shoulder, her waist being too low.

She put her other paw up on his waist. "Heh, there's a bit of a height difference," she chuckled.

"Yup. I did not think this through," Nick replied, a sheepish grin on his lips.

Judy returned the smile, letting him take the lead. He gently swayed them to the beat.

 _Fill my heart with song_

 _And let me sing for ever more_

The snowflakes joined their impromptu dance, swirling in gentle circles outside the window.

"Ahem," came a voice behind them.

They jumped, ripped from the cozy world of just the two of them.

"I'm terribly sorry," said the squirrel waitress, "-but we have a rather long wait for a free table. If you've finished your meal..."

She gestured to the line of mammals snaking outside the restaurant door.

"Oh, sure, of course!" Judy squeaked, breaking away from Nick.

Nick picked up his coat from the back of the chair and went to pay for the meal.

Once they had made it back to their room, Nick sighed, loosening his tie.

 _It had been going so well... I wanted to keep dancing with her._

"That's a shame, we didn't even get dessert!" he said.

Judy walked over to the dining table and picked up a menu. "They have room service!" she said in a sing-song voice.

Nick peered over her shoulder. "Ooh, chocolate-coated strawberries! Officer, make the call!"

Judy smiled and gave him a mock salute. "Right away, chief!"

* * *

"Oof. I ate too much," Nick groaned from the couch.

"Dinner really filled me up, I don't know how you had room!" Judy agreed.

"I need to burn it off," Nick got up and held his hand out to Judy. "Besides, don't we have a dance to finish?"

Judy couldn't hide her delight. "Okay!"

"Wait. Go and stand on the bed," Nick said.

 _Huh?_

Judy raised an eyebrow but still climbed up onto the bed and stood.

Nick gazed right into her eyes as he walked towards her.

It was like a game of chicken – who would look away first?

 _Not Nick, this time._

Nick slid his paw around her torso, making her gasp a little.

"See? We're the right height now. Perfect," he said with a soft smile.

Judy put one paw on his shoulder and the other into his own paw.

"Perfect," she whispered back, "-but no music..."

Nick sighed, his breath tickling her ear. "Then you leave me no choice."

He started singing to her, his voice soft but deep:

" _Fill my heart with song_

 _And let me sing for ever more"_

Judy's eyes widened, he actually had a decent voice.

 _The song from the restaurant!_

He brought her paw from his shoulder and placed it on his chest.

It was warm. The vibrations from his voice harmonized to the beat of his heart.

" _You are all I long for_

 _All I worship and adore"_

She rested her head on his shoulder, resisting the urge to nuzzle him.

Nick stroked her cheek, making her breath hitch.

" _In other words, please be true_

 _In other words, I love you..."_

Her heart pounded.

He pulled her close to him and grazed his cheek against hers, making her shiver.

"Judy, this is all new to me," he whispered. "I think... I'm falling for you. If you don't feel the same way then just... just pretend I didn't say it, okay?"

Judy felt like her heart was going to burst.

His breathing quickened as she leaned closer. "...I think I'm falling for you too, Nicholas."

They were holding each other so tightly that she could feel the tension in his muscles relax from her words.

Judy leaned forward to press her lips to his.

 _He tastes like strawberries._

* * *

A/N: The song 'Fly Me to the Moon' was written by Bart Howard. I listened to a few covers while writing this but I've yet to find one that tops Frank Sinatra's 1964  
version!

Sorry for the late update! It's flu season where I hang my hat and boy, did I catch a doozy! My lungs suck anyway so *shrugs* what can you do?

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! Feel free to review/PM/contact me on Tumblr (under the same name) to let me know what you thought or if you have any  
questions. :)

Chapter 22 should be ready to be posted by the 25th of September. Thank you so much for reading, you guys are awesome! ^^


	22. Stumbling in the Dark

A/N: (Quick reminder: This story is designed for those like myself with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. It best suited for reading on your phone or

tablet using the ff app or mobile mode.)

* * *

Judy broke the kiss and they gazed at each other for a long moment.

She touched her fingers to her lips as Nick stroked her cheek.

 _Her eyes are so beautiful, but…_

"You okay? You look a little beat," he asked, his voice soft.

Judy looked dismayed that he had noticed but nodded. "I haven't gotten much sleep lately. I'm sorry."

Nick lay down against the pillows and patted his upper arm.

She blushed a little but lay down next to him, stiffly at first.

"Get in here," Nick said, gently bringing her head closer to his chest.

Their breath rippled through each other's fur.

He nuzzled the top of her head with his chin, closing his eyes.

A thrill of pleasure coursed up his spine as she nudged herself closer to him.

Her natural scent intertwined with the sweet soap she had used.

He couldn't help but inhale deeply.

 _Have I ever been this happy?_

He got lost in the moment until he realized-

 _Judy is very quiet…_

Nick peered down at her. "Judy?"

He suppressed a chuckle when he got a soft snore in reply.

Unbuttoning the top of his new shirt, he scratched at his neck.

 _Too much starch._

Judy shivered, so he gently pulled the quilt around them, tucking a little under her chin.

 _Aw, she's like a bunny-burrito! This would be a great Kodiak moment!_

He brought her a little closer.

Shadows of the snowflakes from the window danced on her face.

Mesmerized, Nick just gazed at her until he felt his own eyelids grow heavy.

* * *

One of Gazelle's songs blasted from the other side of the hotel suite and jolted Nick from his light doze.

 _Judy's alarm?_

The song came to an abrupt end.

"Carrots? You up?" he mumbled from the couch, trying to find where he flung his regular shirt the night before.

As much as he had wanted to stay snuggled with her, she had tossed and turned so badly in her sleep.

Nick decided it better to take advantage of the couch in their suite.

Rubbing his eyes, he slipped on his shirt.

Sleepy fingers fumbled with the buttons.

He lifted his head to see Judy sitting up in the enormous bed, her back facing him.

She tried to stretch her arms, still wearing the purple gown from the night before. It was heavily crumpled from a restless night's sleep.

Nick let himself watch a moment and smiled.

 _Still stunning._

He opened his mouth to call out 'good morning' to her-

-when she stood up and slowly pulled the dress zipper down.

Words abandoned him and left him agape.

Silky fabric gave way to reveal the silvery softness of her back.

Nick's jaw dropped as the dress fell in a silky pool at her feet.

His eyes fell like stones.

The sight of her - clad only in lacy underwear - rendered the logical parts of his brain useless.

 _Never knew white was my favorite color 'til now._

 _Why so fancy? She doesn't have that kind of underwear at home..._

Back when she was recovering and determined to be naked as often as possible, he had rummaged through her underwear drawer.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. He spared no effort in coaxing her into covering herself… with little success.

It was nothing he hadn't seen before, but seeing her this way…

 _Was she expecting us to…?_

The very thought made his breath catch in his throat and he gasped.

Startled, Judy turned around to face him.

Her sleepy amethyst gaze rapidly widened in realization.

"NICK! Don't look!" she squeaked, frantically grabbing for the quilt to cover herself.

Nick slowly blinked.

 _Did she say something?_

A flying cushion to his face finally brought him to his senses.

He ducked his head behind the couch and shut his eyes.

 _Oh god, she must think I'm a complete pervert!_

The sounds of her scuffling to find her regular clothes was the only relief from the silence.

Her lucid modesty made his paw pads sweat.

"Sorry, Carrots! Didn't know you were up!" he spluttered.

 _What a dumb thing to say._

He slowly raised his paws in surrender from behind the couch. "Cease fire?"

"...I'm dressed now," Judy huffed.

Nick peeked out.

Wearing her usual pink shirt and jeans, she stood there with her arms folded and eyes downcast.

The dying embers in the fireplace murmured its' swan song.

Desperate to fill the silence, Nick eyed the pamphlets on the coffee table.

"H-hey, I was looking at these last night," he made a motion with his paw. "We could check you out? I mean Tundratown?!"

 _Kill me now._

Judy took her phone from her pocket. "Shoot, we'll be late!"

Nick quirked an eyebrow.

 _Late? For what?_

She scooped up her dress and cold weather clothes from the floor.

"Get dressed and meet me outside in ten minutes!" she said firmly, closing the door behind her.

"...okay?" Nick said to the empty room, ears falling back.

 _Now I've really blown it._

* * *

Rugged back up in his snow clothes, Nick checked out of the Enchanted Lodge.

He pushed the frost encrusted door open and ventured outside to meet Judy as she had asked.

His burning cheeks welcomed the cold gust of air.

With a blink, his eyes had adjusted to the morning darkness.

Freshly settled snow glittered under the dwindling starlight.

Judy was standing under a lamppost, squinting at a Tundratown brochure.

She ran a finger over her lips as she read, the other arm lost in the overlong sleeves.

He took a deep breath.

The sound of his feet sinking into the powdery snow was the only respite from the silence.

With no traffic or other mammals around, it was as though it was only the two of them in this wintery world.

He tried not to stare as warm breath escaped her mouth in soft clouds.

Thinking back to the night before, he swallowed thickly.

That coy look in her eyes when she broke their kiss and touched her fingers to her lips, as she did now…

His chest tightened as she looked up and their eyes met.

* * *

Judy's ears pricked and she looked up to see Nick standing there, paws in his pockets.

"H-hi," she said, trying to be casual.

She whipped her fingers away from her lips.

The icy breeze snapped around them.

"Hey," he said, looking completely at ease.

She had to will her ears not to droop.

 _How is he so calm?!_

"…This way," she said, her tone brisker than intended.

"M'kay."

She outpaced him quickly, as if that would help her escape the awkwardness between them.

Eventually, she came to a stop by a snow-logged fir tree so that he could catch up.

The lamp posts were becoming more scarce.

Her ears twitched as she tried to get her bearings in the dark.

"Over here," he called.

She whipped around to where she thought Nick was-

-and got her legs entangled in her drooping sleeves.

"Woah!" Judy's feet went out from under her.

Nick grabbed her before she could fall into the snow. "Gotcha!"

Her blush rose to her ear tips.

 _He has got to be doing this on purpose!_

* * *

Judy pulled away from him and carefully lifted his paw off…

 _…her butt?!_

When Nick realized, he jumped away like he had been burned. "Sorry, my bad!"

He wouldn't have been surprised to see steam rising from every pore of his body.

"…It's fine," she mumbled, walking on ahead. She seemed to be taking extra care in rolling up her sleeves.

 _Ouch._

 _'Fine' in that tone was anything but._

 _Heh. Butt._

 _Dammit, brain!_

"It was an accident!" Nick managed.

"I know!" she replied quickly.

He flinched at her tone but pressed on.

"Look, what… happened, back at the hotel-"

"-we're nearly there," Judy said, cutting him off. "Come on."

He could hear the nervousness in her voice.

She took out her phone and turned on the torch.

Nick gave a defeated sigh. "So… why are we stumbling around in the dark anyway?" he asked.

 _Because she's found a cliff she's planning to hurl you from and make it look like an accident?_

He quietened his mind to hear her whispered reply.

"…It's a surprise."

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

The rest of their trek up the hill passed in silence.

His nose detected fresh bread, piping hot coffee, inky newspaper: all woven among the earthy scents of the pine trees.

The morning breath of a sleepy Tundratown waking.

He shook his tail free of fallen snow.

He coughed.

 _Damn this lingering flu._

Judy came to a stop. "Are you sure you're okay to be out here?"

Nick bristled. "I coughed once. I'm not a kit, Judy."

She fidgeted with one of her drooping ears. "I know, but… shouldn't we get back into bed? Ah?! I mean, shouldn't y-you get- back into-"

The warmth in his face flowered back into a full-blown fever. "I uh, I know what you meant."

"I'm fine. It's not like I'm bathing in ice water," he joked.

 _Though if I did have a death wish for pneumonia, I could really use a cold shower right now._

He settled for sinking his feet deeper into the snow as they walked on.

He tried to ignore her scent growing stronger and forced a smile.

 _Even though she probably can't see it anyway. I can't believe I just grabbed her ass!_

The brakes in his brain failed.

All he could think about was exactly what he should NOT be thinking about.

 _~Shouldn't we get back into bed?~_

 _~Eat me!~_

 _~Take all you want!~_

 _~Put your mouth to better use~_

"Nick, we're here," Judy said, giving the sleeve of his coat a gentle tug.

Nick used all his self-control not to jump a foot in the air.

 _Relax, she can't read your mind. Luckily._

His heart sank when he saw that they had arrived at the sky trams.

 _Are we just leaving? Is the date over?_

Judy raced up to the booth, where an elderly badger sat behind the counter.

"Excuse me? I had a booking for 'Hopps'?" Judy said, standing on tiptoe.

The badger adjusted his glasses and yawned. "Oh yeah, from the lodge, right? Got your receipt?"

Judy fished around in her jacket pocket and handed it over.

"Great, the car is all prepared for you. Good timing as it's just been hooked up. Enjoy!"

Nick's brow furrowed. "What's going on-"

A larger cable car rounded the bend and the badger pulled a lever to stop the line.

"In you get, I gotta restart it in two minutes," he called out.

Judy's tail wiggled ever so slightly as she opened the door to the car.

Any remaining awkwardness melted away under her beaming grin. "This car is sealed and heated so you don't worsen your cough! And I ordered us some

breakfast to go with the view!"

 _She initiated the rest of the date?_

 _This is for… me?_

Nick tried to restrain the enormous smile taking over his face but to no avail.

He shook his head. "Nice hustle, sly bunny!"

Judy's grin widened. "Get in!"

"After you," Nick said, doing a mock bow.

"No, this is my treat, so after you!" Judy replied.

"Ahem," they looked over to see the badger tapping his watch.

"Oh, sorry!" Judy called out, climbing into the car with Nick.

Nick pulled the door shut and looked at the cabin.

He didn't even know better cabins were available for sky trams.

"Carrots… how did you afford this?" he looked down at the plush rugs and cushions on the floor.

Judy shrugged. "I wanted to do something special for you. I-I mean…"

The shyness crept back over her features.

She gestured to the low set table and cushions. "Take a seat!"

"'kay," Nick sat down, gawking at all the containers of food.

"Hey, this table is wearing a dress!" he said, pointing.

Judy giggled. "It's a heated blanket. Put your legs under it."

Nick obliged. "Oh, that is toasty!"

Judy sat opposite him, shrugging off her coat. "Mm," she wriggled her legs under the blanket and their cold feet touched.

"Sorry!"

"S-sorry! Woah!"

The car swung a little as it shifted into the air.

Nick's nose twitched.

With a knowing smile, Judy started taking the lids off the various dishes on the table.

"I wasn't sure what you'd feel like, so I ordered a little of everything," she said. She gestured to the pancakes, hash browns, croissants, and muffins.

"Oh boy," Nick's mouth watered, "-just as well I eat like a horse!"

Judy chuckled and opened the last container. "I also ordered this special. It's a Bug Burga-style breakfast burrito!"

Nick just knew he had the goofiest smile on his face.

"Carrots, you've outdone yourself," he said, taking the container from her.

She brought the blanket up to her lap. "Well, you treated me so much last night, I wanted to be able to do the same."

Nick's smile dropped a little. "You didn't have to, you know."

Judy nodded. "I know, but I wanted to," she said, beaming.

"Thanks, Carrots," Nick said, smile back in place.

Judy clapped her paws together. "Now, let's dig in before the food gets cold!"

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry for the wait! Good news is that chapter 23 is done and in the hot little hands of my betas as we speak. Many thanks as always to them,

as well as Cimar of Turalis and Shadow Wolfboy for their helpful suggestions and support! You all rock!

Feel free to leave a review (they are sustenance for those of us who 'toil in the word mines'! XD) or if you have a question or want to see my dreadful

attempts at drawing, stop by armae . tumblr . com


	23. Sharing Views

Judy had to fight to keep still as they ate.

 _I'm so happy he liked the surprise!_

Nick didn't seem used to being treated, either.

He groaned while she munched on the last of her raspberry muffin. "How are you still eating, rabbit?!"

Judy laughed. "I really _do_ eat like a horse! Unlike _you_. You eat like a shrew!"

"'Dem's fighting words, Carrots!"

They chuckled. She tried to resist the urge to look away when their gazes met.

Her chest tightened when he looked at her like that.

Not wanting the cheerful mood to dissipate, she escaped his gaze by looking out the window.

The dawn light had started to creep over the snowy hills, making the icy lakes below shimmer.

Judy's jaw dropped. "Wow, what a view!"

"Yeah," Nick said.

She turned back to face him. "Pfft, you're not even looking outside!"

"No, no I am not," he replied, his eyes not leaving hers.

Judy felt warmth rush from her toes to the tips of her ears.

"Um, I didn't book this car for you to look at _me_! Enjoy the view already!" she managed, grabbing the last hash brown from the plate.

"Don't worry, I am," Nick said, his eyes a darker green.

Judy suppressed a smirk.

 _Two can play at that game!_

She navigated her now-warm toes to find Nick's under the table.

The corner of her mouth twitched when his calm façade cracked from the touch. "Are you… flirting, Mr Wilde?"

Nick shrugged, playfully pushing back with his own foot. "It's unconventional, I know. But we've done a lot of things out of the 'right order' so… I thought I'd try it on for size."

Judy took a bite of the hash brown, raising her eyebrow as she chewed. "So, how does it fit?"

Nick put a paw up in a so-so gesture. "It's a little tight in the crotch."

Judy nearly choked and her mouthful of potato became airborne.

…and landed on Nick's nose.

She grasped for a napkin. "I am so sorry!"

Nick took it and wiped away the mess. "Well, there goes my street cred: I'm so smooth I make the ladies hurl!" he said, his voice faltering.

Despite her embarrassment, Judy smiled softly. "Hey, you don't have to be 'Slick Nick' with me. Just… Nick, 'kay?"

Nick shook his head. "'Me', huh? And who am I? Wow, philosophy on a date. Hot. I should bring De Animals for our next one."

Judy giggled and rubbed her toes gently against his. "You don't have to overthink it. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it."

"Oh, it's that simple, huh?" Nick folded his arms, but his tone was lighthearted.

His expression softened and he fiddled absently with the tassels of a scarlet cushion.

"How did you afford this, Judy?" he asked again.

Judy's ears fell. She had hoped he would have dropped the question. "Don't be mad, but… I returned my dress from last night."

Nick took his eyes off the cushion to give her an incredulous look. "Why would you do that? I have plenty of money, you could have just asked-"

"I know, and I loved it, but there are more important things than dresses," she said, fidgeting with her ear. "Besides, if I had asked you, it wouldn't be a surprise, right?"

Nick set the cushion down, his expression caught between delight and disappointment. "Judy…"

Leaning across the table, she took his paw in both of hers.

"Enjoying food with you… having fun with you- it's worth more than a dress."

 _Be brave, look in his eyes!_

"I booked this sky tram for us because… it reminds me of the time you first opened up to me, after Manchas. I want to open up to you, too. So..."

She watched his pupils dilate as she moved closer.

 _Be brave…_

"-so I could ask you properly, if you would, um… officially, that is, with us…"

Her well of words had dried up.

She gaped at him for a long moment as he realized what she was trying to say.

Nick rose to his knees and wrapped his arms around her, knocking a forgotten plate to the floor. "Dumb bunny, like you need to ask," he said softly.

Her heart thundered in her chest.

Hesitantly, he nuzzled his cheek against hers.

Judy gasped, trying to keep control. "Nick… please, let me ask!"

"Go on then, _Tough Bunny_ ," he murmured.

It did nothing to help her composure.

"Will you… be with me?" she whispered.

Nick squeezed her gently. "I'm with you right now, aren't I?" he teased.

"You know what I mean," she said softly into his ear.

Nick loosened his arms and pulled back to look her. "I'd love nothing more, you should know that by now. But… Judy, you could do a lot better. Is this _really_ what you want? A former con artist fox?"

She grabbed a fistful of his shirt, her face determined. "Yes."

He still resisted. "You could have any buck your age, why me?"

"Because I know what I want," she said, leaning in again to rub her chin along his cheek.

She blushed with pleasure when he shuddered a little in response.

Just as she was going to kiss him, Nick put his paws on her shoulders to stop her.

"Sorry Judy, but we need to talk."

"We're talking right now, aren't we?" Judy said breathlessly, trying to mimic Nick's tone when he teased her.

"I mean about… _earlier_ ," he muttered, letting his paws fall away from her.

"Oh."

"Yeah. With what you were wearing-" his ears twitched "-were you expecting _more_ than what actually happened?"

Judy felt her own ears redden.

"I-I was open to the possibility," she said, fiddling with the same cushion Nick had been.

Nick sighed and motioned beside him.

Judy's heart raced. He looked like he would rather dive face-first into the snow than say what he was about to say.

 _What could it be?_

 _He's not into rabbits?_

 _He's actually gay?!_

 _He has several litters of illegitimate cubs?!_

As if he could see the cogs whirring behind her eyes, Nick shook his head. "Don't worry, it's not bad. I just have to say it."

Judy swallowed and moved over next to him. "I'm listening."

Nick took a deep breath. "What do you know about mate imprinting?"

She looked down at her paws, suddenly fascinated by a teensy bit of dirt under her fingernail. "Zander told me a little, so did your mom. She- she didn't want me to hurt you."

Nick sighed. "Ma went about it the wrong way, but her heart was in the right place. Like I've told you before: foxes are very choosy."

Judy didn't press. She could almost hear his heart racing from sitting so close to him.

He picked up a paper napkin and focused on tearing it into one long strip. "Here's the thing: we _do_ mate for life. Most of us, anyway," he said, continuing to work on the napkin.

He cleared his throat.

"Being… 'intimate' seals the deal," he said. His words ran together in his haste to rid his mouth of them. "You could say it's the biological equivalent of getting married."

"So… it's very early days for us still. Even if you had uh, 'initiated' anything last night, I would have had to turn you down anyway," he said softly.

Judy frowned. "I don't get what you mean," she said.

The look in his eyes reminded her of a fairytale she had read as a kit. The one about a lonely dragon that fiercely guarded its' cavern of treasures.

In that moment, she understood. "It's gotta be for the long haul and… you want me to be sure, right?"

Nick nodded. "Obviously, I don't expect you to be sure for a while yet," he said, cupping her cheek in his paw. "If you're willing to uh… accept that the last step is a big deal for foxes-" his smile grew smug "-then I think I _might_ just let you date me."

' _Might?' The nerve!_

She grabbed a cushion to swat at him. "Keep up that attitude and I might just change my mind, _slick_!"

"Hey, haven't enough cushions been subjected to violence today?" Nick joked, dodging it.

Judy cast him a sideways glance. "I have a question."

"Shoot."

"How far is too far with u-um, the you know…?" she mumbled.

Nick shrugged, looking more nonchalant than he sounded. "Honestly? No idea. I'm one hundred percent perfect and knowledgeable in every other facet of life, I promise," he said with a wink.

"And so modest!" Judy gave his arm a friendly punch.

They looked at the view together in comfortable silence, taking in the snow laden trees and clouds dappled by the dawn light.

Judy was the first to speak. "So, foxes save themselves for marriage, then?"

Nick shook his head. "'Marriage' is just a piece of paper. Once two foxes have… mated, they may as well be married. It's the bond. It's not about purity and it isn't a spiritual or social obligation. It's about self-preservation."

"Self-preservation?" she asked.

"Yeah. Unrequited love," he began, remembering Finnick's words, "is the worst-case scenario for most foxes."

"Oh," Judy said, ears drooping.

 _Now I understand why Vivienne said what she did._

Nick picked the tattered napkin back up to fidget with. "What about bunnies, then?"

Judy thought for a moment. "I can't speak for all rabbits, but uh… sex isn't as sacred, I guess?"

Nick raised an eyebrow. "So, there _is_ some truth to the stereotype?"

She shot him a bashful look. "Well, to be totally honest, I'm considered… kind of a loser for not having done 'it' at my age."

"So… rabbits _don't_ mate for life?" Nick asked, his voice tense.  
Judy shook her head vigorously. "Some do! It's just… different. A bunny can have been intimate with hundreds-" Nick's eyes bulged at this "-of other rabbits as partners, but once they decide to settle down to have a family, that's it. That's when females go off their birth control and hormone suppressants."

Nick scratched the back of his neck. "Huh, how about that," he mumbled, loosening his tie a little.

Judy cleared her throat. "Hehe, yeah…"

She nervously glanced out the window again. "Look, this is the main event!" she pointed, bouncing a little in excitement.

He turned to face the window.

She loved the awestruck look on his face as he moved in for a better look.

The sun was rising, slowly covering the snow with a warm, amber glow.

Judy moved next to Nick by the window. "It's nice to share the view together, huh?" she said softly, admiring the way the snow-capped pine trees seemed to glitter with gold.

"You're right," he replied, looking thoughtful. "How long does ZPD academy training take?"

Judy blinked. "Uh, six to nine months, depending on your performance. Why ask now?"

Nick nodded to himself and held her paw.

"I want to see the world the same way you do, Judy," he said, turning to look at her. "But I still want to be a cop, with you as my partner… will us being a couple be a prevent that?"

Judy shook her head. "We'd have to prove that it isn't a conflict of interest, but so long as we are discreet. In fact, a lot of police officers marry each other. It's because only they understand the demands of the job."

"Huh, makes sense," Nick said. "Tch, am I being totally crazy, here? Are _we_ totally crazy, for even having this conversation?"

Judy watched as the Tundra Town cooling wall melded into Sahara Square's heating system, and snow gave way to sand.

"Probably, but I don't mind a little craziness," she smiled.

"Me neither," he said and undid his jacket as the cabin grew warmer. Judy jumped up to press the climate control button and the heating turned off.

"Thanks," Nick smiled.

"So!" Judy bounced on the balls of her feet. "Time to get you in shape for the academy!"

Nick brought his paw up in a salute, his expression grim. "We who are about to die, salute you!"

Judy laughed before placing one paw on Nick's shoulder. "I should warn you," she began, stroking his cheek with her free paw, "-I'm _very_ strict!"

Nick's breath caught in his throat. "That… would have been a lot more threatening if your tail wasn't wiggling," he said, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"Crap!" Judy blushed. Her tail had a mind of its' own.

Nick chuckled. "You're looking forward to torturing me, aren't you?"

"N-no?" Judy stuttered, grabbing her tail with her paw.

Nick's eyes were bright with mischief. "Need some help?"

"No!" she squeaked, sitting down.

"My dear young lady, I happen to be an expert tail wrangler!"

Judy gave a throaty chuckle. "I'll _bet_ you are!"

Nick feigned indignation. "How dare you! Why, if I had any pearls to clutch-" he made a playful grab for her tail.

She rolled out of the way just in time, smirking her triumph.

"Aw, c'mon, Carrots! I've let you touch my tail!"

"Oh, so it's like _that_ , is it? Time to teach you some manners!" She wrestled him to the floor, tickling him until they were both breathless from laughter.

They both shot up into the air when a camel tapped on the window.

"Argh!" Nick hit his head on the ceiling on his way up.

The tram door opened. "This is the last stop, miss, sir," he said raising an eyebrow at the disarray.

"Alright, alright," Nick grumbled, rubbing his head. After collecting his jacket, he stepped out of the car with Judy.

He grinned at the camel. "Hey, wanna hear a joke? OW!"

" _Nick!"_


	24. Meet the Heat

Engulfed by the warm wind gushing from the wall vents, Nick shed his jacket and stuffed it into his bag. As they left Tundratown Gate behind them, he resisted the temptation to hold Judy's paw. He wiped beads of sweat from his paw pads.

"Yeesh, the Mystic Spring naturists have the right idea," he muttered.

The breeze swept through the train station and ruffled sun-bleached posters like feathers. Nick squinted to read one and scoffed.

"'Meet the heat in Sahara Square,' huh? Why, hello again, heat," he muttered. "As I recall, I only like you if I'm drunk, naked and can't see you."

Judy let out a loud snort and then covered her muzzle with both paws.

Nick smirked. "Judy, did you just _oink_ at me? Ow! Not the tail, let go! I give!" They dissolved into laughter, weaving their way through the morning rush.

The paved stone was already warm under Nick's feet. "Hey Carrots, since we're here, why don't we get us some Högen-Dazs and hit the beach?"

Judy's chuckles ebbed. "I have to go to work, _slacker_."

"Pfft, what's one more sick day?" Nick said. "Weren't you injured in the line of duty and all?"

Judy shook her head. "I've used up more leave than I would have liked as it is. That red tape won't fix itself," she said.

"Sounds thrilling," Nick yawned. "So, what time do you start?"

"Eleven-thirty, but I'd like to go home and wash off this makeup first," Judy replied, her nose twitching in the new climate. "We can take the Zootopia loop if we can make it to the train station in-" she looked at her wristband, "-five minutes?"

Nick grinned, picking up the pace. "You know the train schedule? Bet you planned this all out to the last second, didn't you? You adorable little nerd, you!"

"Jerk," Judy pouted for a second before a goofy grin crept over her features.

"Thanks again for the ride this morning," Nick pointed a thumb behind them. Puffs of snow plumed from over the towering wall.

Judy beamed. "You're welcome!"

Nick couldn't help but return the smile. He looked ahead, putting a paw up to shield his eyes from the intense sunlight. "Looks like this is our train," he pointed to the mammals cramming themselves through the doors. "C'mon!"

His lungs protested the effort as they ran. He made it to the doors as the warning bell sounded but lost sight of Judy. "Carrots?" he wheezed. "Woah!" A strong tug on his tie pulled him into the passenger car. He ducked to avoid a giant hoof from crushing him.

'Doors closing…' the automated voice droned.

Nick scrunched his eyes shut and tried to catch his breath, his pulse pounding through his ears. The scents of hundreds of mammals jam-packed into such a small space flooded his nostrils. _'At least it's morning and the mammals smell clean,'_ he mused.

"Sorry I yanked your tie again," Judy said. He opened his eyes to see that she was at eye level with him, nose-to-nose.

He shifted against the crush of animals pinning him and Judy together.

"Hey there," he chuckled. "Now you're the perfect height!"

"But my feet aren't touching the floor!" Judy said, wriggling against him. They were so close he could feel the buttons of her shirt making imprints in his fur.

Nick had to make a conscious effort not to pant.

' _Not just the Sahara weather to blame, here,'_ he thought. He grimaced as he tried to maintain his balance on the moving train.

Judy's eyes darted away from his, her ears turning a deeper shade of pink.

He felt his own face grow hotter and averted his eyes as well.

A nearby horse stumbled.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Judy whispered after her cheek brushed against his.

"No problem," Nick said, trying to ignore how good her breath felt in his ear.

…and the electricity tingling in his face where they touched.

…and her scent wrapping his mind in a clouded stupor.

He remembered the lacy underwear she was wearing.  
He swallowed the lump in his throat when his addled brain provided him with a visual replay of that morning.

' _This is bad!'_ He shut his eyes again and willed himself to calm down.

An image of Finnick dancing in a bikini elicited the appropriate response.

 _'That'll work',_ Nick thought with a shudder.

"Geez, good thing we didn't just start dating recently. This would be super awkward otherwise," he quipped, scratching his arm.

Judy gave a nervous laugh. "Heh, yeah… Um, Nick? Your elbow, it's-"

"Oh, my bad, here, I'll uh-" his temperature soared when he saw his elbow digging into her chest. His arm threatened to cramp as he fumbled to unfurl it.

Their noses touched again.

Nick knew that look in her eyes as her ears fell and she licked her lips.

He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No, I'm okay," she said, turning her face to the side.

'Next stop: Delta Road' the automated voice announced.

"We should be able to get a seat soon," Judy breathed.

Nick grimaced when she squirmed. "Here's hoping," he replied, his voice hoarse.

Any longer and he would give in to the urge to rest his muzzle against her neck and revel in her scent.  
In public, no less.

He gripped his bag tighter.

'Arriving at Delta Road. Next stop…' They both sighed with relief as mammals moved off the train and Judy landed on her feet.

Nick straightened his tie and offered Judy the one spare seat. "All yours," he smiled, stretching out the cramp in his arm.

Judy shook her head. "Oh no, you've been sick, you should take it."

"What about your leg? Let me be a gentle-mammal," he said, gesturing with an impatient paw.

"My leg's _fine_. Why can't _I_ be a gentle-mammal?" she arched an eyebrow.

"Fine, before someone else takes it," he said and sat down, defeated.

Judy stood in front of him and held the grab handle.

He took a surreptitious glance at her.

Her fur still shone, but some of her remaining makeup from last night had smudged around her eyes.

"Did you get enough sleep last night?" Nick asked.

Judy's ears fell but she smiled with it, looking touched. "Well enough, thanks!"

Nick frowned but a new influx of passengers swarmed in before he could comment. Judy almost overbalanced into his lap.

He glared at a zebra who had shoved an armadillo with a walking stick out of their way. "Hey, you'll get to your cubicle farms soon enough," Nick said with a raised voice.

He stood. "Here, take my seat," Nick said to the armadillo. "You'd be doing us a favor, it saves us from arguing over chivalry," he winked at Judy.

The armadillo nodded and sat down with a grateful sigh.

Nick took one of the grab handles, the other paw holding the bag with his clothes from last night.

"You okay?" he asked as Judy shifted back as much as the crowd would allow.

When their eyes met, it was as though the other mammals had evaporated.

"Judy…?"

She gave him a gentle smile. "You _will_ make a pretty good cop. It's like your dad wrote in that letter. You're going to make the world a better place," she said.

Nick felt his chest tighten.

' _How can she still have so much faith in me?'_

All at once, the mammals re-emerged in his vision.

Somehow, the train felt even more crowded than before.

His stomach clenched.  
"Nick? Are you okay?" Judy asked.

He simply nodded, too wrapped up in himself to joke it off.

"Oh, this is our stop," Judy said, ears perked up.

"Thank god!" Nick sighed.

He nearly kicked a hamster clean out of his way in his haste to leave the train.

By the time Judy had caught up with him, he had steadied his breathing.

They walked home together, their silence as uncomfortable as the train ride.  
The rusted gate to the cottage made a welcome sight.

Judy unlocked the front door and they both stepped through.

"Are you okay?" Judy asked again.  
Nick's tail twitched. "Yeah, I'm fine, Carrots," he said.

He could hear the bathroom tap dripping from where he stood.

"I wish you wouldn't lie to me, Nick. I'm… I'm going to go take a shower," she said. "I won't be long." Her footfalls grew softer as she walked up the hall to the bathroom.

Nick winced. _'She sees right through me,'_ he thought.

The thought caused as much relief as it did fear.

Judy turned the water onto cool.

She shivered, the frigid water falling like icy needles onto her fur. She hugged her arms around herself.

' _I need to regain some self-control,'_ she thought as she reached for the shampoo.

"Judy, you got a second?" Nick's voice echoed from the other side of the door.

"N-now?" Judy's teeth chattered.

"You want me to be honest?" he asked.

Judy's brow knotted in concern and she turned the faucet off. "Always. What is it, Nick?" she took her towel and wrapped it around herself.

"This is really difficult, asking this," he began.  
"Asking… what?" she asked, walking to the door and putting her paw on the handle.

"Don't open the door," he called out. "I… I don't think I can say this to your face just yet. I don't know why," he said, his words running into one another.

Judy dropped her paw, nonplussed.

"Judy, I… um, I wanna shower with you! That's me being honest," he finished.

She could almost feel him cringing through the door. She turned the door handle and opened it a crack.

"So… erm, thoughts on that?" he blundered.

She smiled. "I'd like that very much, Nick."

He let out a long-held breath. "Can I uh, come in?"

"Yeah, come on in," Judy said, smiling.

Nick walked in with one paw over his eyes. "You're the boss," he said. "If you don't want me to look, then I can turn the other way. Well, I guess it's too late for that because of the drugs you were on for your leg. I mean uh!"

"Oh, that's right," Judy blushed, thinking back to the infamous carrot cake Finnick made back at the hospital. "You've already seen me, uh…"

"Yeah. I mean, not like I was ogling!"

"Unlike this morning?" she teased.

"This morning, and right now, you're… my girlfriend, so… yeah, I ogled. So sue me," he said.

Judy chuckled. "You can look. I'm still in a towel, if that helps."

Nick peeked between his fingers.

"You asked me, 'how far is too far' with physical stuff," he said, his voice not much more than a whisper. "I'm tense because I… want to start finding out."

Judy's heart raced when she saw his dilated pupils. She shivered.

Nick offered a knowing smile. "Cold shower, huh? I'm very familiar with those," he said, walking towards her and unbuttoning his shirt. "I think a warm shower would be better…?"

She nodded and dropped her towel. She turned the water back on, stepping into the warmth. "I've… never seen you naked," she said.

Nick let his slacks fall to the floor. "I'm not an exhibitionist," he joked, stepping into the shower still wearing his boxers.

"I only have an hour before I need to leave for work," she said, her voice soft. She reached out and stroked the fur on his stomach.  
Nick shivered. "Then I'm uh, gonna go point in the corner," he mumbled, facing away from her.

Judy blinked for a few seconds before the penny dropped. "We don't have to rush anything," she said. "What are you comfortable with?"

"'Comfort' is a foreign concept right now," Nick said, examining the label on the shampoo bottle.

He looked over his shoulder at her, water clinging to his fur. "I… just want to be here, with you," he said, a tentative smile playing about his mouth.

Judy moved towards him and wrapped her arms around his middle, leaning her head against his back.

"I'm here," she whispered, her voice mixing into the sound of the water hitting their bodies.

He leaned back against her. _'So warm,'_ she thought.

She could feel the tension in his muscles melting away the longer she held him.

"Judy," Nick murmured. He closed his eyes. "Thank you."

* * *

Some hours later at the ZPD precinct, Judy stared bleary-eyed at the words on the screen. Lines of dry text blurred into abstract art. The sound of the computer humming felt like tinnitus.

Judy contemplated going downstairs for another coffee. She thought better of it when she noticed her restless paw tapping on the mouse pad.

Her mind kept drifting back to the shower earlier…

"Hopps. How's clerical duty?"

She jumped a little to see Bogo leaning against her desk partition. "Fine, sir. Only ten more pages. What can I do for you?" she asked.

Bogo crossed his arms. "With Remus Wolfgang as mayor, he's decided to do a complete overhaul of the ZPD." His nostrils flared. "One of his doctors is doing examinations in room 2C. Your turn at fifteen-hundred. Look alive," he said and stood.

"Yes sir," Judy replied, rubbing her eyes.

Three o'clock finally came and went. The doctor drew some of Judy's blood for testing and examined the scar on her leg. Noting the bags under her eyes, he lectured her about getting enough sleep. He signed her off, pending the blood test results, satisfied enough.

Judy had almost finished typing the last page when Bogo knocked on her desk partition once more. "Got the doctor's preliminary report. Glad to see you're getting better. Blood test results should be in by tomorrow afternoon. If all's well, I'll consider shortening your clerical duty. Make sure to sleep, got it? You can go."

"Thank you, chief," Judy said, sliding down from her chair.

She met Clawhauser dragging his feet in the corridor. "How did your doctor's exam go?" Judy asked.

The cheetah sighed. "He ordered me to work on my fitness," he said, fishing around in his shirt pocket until he pulled out a squashed donut. "And my diet, but it's so hard!"

Judy did her best to keep her composure. "Don't worry," she said, letting her face relax into a smile. "Nick and I need to get fit, we can all work out together, huh?"

Clawhauser returned her smile as he chewed. "Comrades in misery, eh? Let's do that sometime, then. I'll bring the snacks!" He walked back downstairs.

Judy bit her tongue and took out her phone.

Warmth tingled through her as she dialed Nick's cell.  
"Hi, you," Nick answered.  
Her ears felt aflame at the shy tone of his voice.  
"U-um food! Yes, food um. What do you want?" she cringed as the words tumbled out of her mouth.

"…Can I have you for dessert?"  
"Nick, _don't!_ I'm still at work!" Judy hissed as she made her way down the stairs to the foyer.

"Well then, who's a dumb bunny for calling me?"

Judy stifled a smile despite herself. "Dinner. I can pick us up something?" She waved goodbye to Clawhauser at the desk as she walked through the revolving doors.

Nick sighed. "I promised my body under duress that I would feed it vegetables. I'd better hold up my end so it doesn't go on strike again," he joked.

Judy giggled. "Got it. I'll get us something healthy," she said. "I'll be home soon."  
"Can't wait," Nick replied.

"Same here," she said, her tail wiggling.

Judy didn't even care when two kids pointed at her as she skipped a little through the park.

* * *

Holly fiddled with a curl of her wool and shared a nervous glance with Urbeth. As one, their gaze drifted from the other girls at the dining table to the fennec fox in the kitchen.

Finnick stood on a stool at the counter, ears tense against his skull, as he cooked dinner. He hopped down to grab bowls from the cupboard. Balancing a stack in each paw, he scrambled back up on the stool.

Holly wondered how they had _any_ plates left after such acrobatics. She blinked when Finnick appeared beside her.

"Grubs up," he grunted. He plonked a steaming bowl in front of Holly. "And for, well…" he put another bowl next to hers and gestured to the ceiling towards Vivienne's room.

"She's still not talking to you?" Holly asked. "It's already been more than a day."

"She's the one who don't wanna talk," Finnick replied and turned back to the kitchen for more bowls for the other girls.

Holly sighed and started on her salad. She frowned and held up a forkful to examine. "Finn, is this…?"

Finnick looked back over his shoulder and a canine tooth appeared in a crooked smile. "Quinoa? Yup."

Urbeth snorted. "I thought Ms Vivienne hated- oh."

Finnick touched a finger to his nose let out a chortle. "She wants to complain, she'll have to come down and talk, amirite?"

Holly rolled her eyes. "You guys _do_ know that you're adults, right?"

"Does _anyone_ in this house act their age though, for real?" quipped a squirrel as she took her bowl from Finnick.

Urbeth snorted. "I do," she said, standing taller. Being a polar bear, this wasn't wise and she bumped her head on the ceiling.

"Pfft, when you're not full of vodka," a ferret chuckled.

Holly pushed her seat away from the table and stood, taking Vivienne's dinner bowl. "This won't end well," she said under her breath as she ascended the stairs to Vivienne's room.

She knocked on the door a few times, but there was no response.

Holly left the bowl by the door and went down to finish her meal with the others.

They ate in silence until-

"What in Robin Hood's foxhole is this?!"

The girls smothered their giggles at the sound of angry paws stomping down the old wooden stairs.

The comical squeaks accompanying each step made it far less fear-inducing.

Vivienne rounded the corner of the dining room, her fur sticking at wild angles from head to toe.

Somehow, she managed to look both furious _and_ half-asleep.

Seeing Finnick, Vivienne opened and shut her mouth. She placed the untouched bowl back on the table.

Finnick turned around. "Finally got you outta that room," he said, wiping his paws on a towel and stepping down from the stool.

Vivienne glowered at him.

Any remaining humor fell from Finnick's face. "I'm sick of this shit, Viv. We need to talk about what happened," he said.

"I would rather eat _that,_ " Vivienne said, pointing at the cooling bowl of quinoa before turning on her heel.

The girls stopped eating. The tension in the air encouraged no appetite. Holly looked back at Urbeth. "Time for the plan," she said, her voice firm.

Urbeth nodded and rose from her chair. She picked Finnick up in one massive paw and a wriggling Vivienne in the other.

"Urbeth?! What the hell are you doing?!" Vivienne shouted.

"You act like children, you get time out," Urbeth replied as she made her way to the back door. "Holly, if you would? Paws are full."

Holly walked over and opened the door to the courtyard. "We're locking you two out until you fix this mess like grown mammals," she said.

Vivienne and Finnick were speechless.

Urbeth walked out into the night. She dropped them and they landed in an undignified heap of fur on the asphalt.

The foxes looked back at the door, dumbfounded and resentful in equal measure.  
They glared at each other as though that would teleport them back inside.

Holly simply shut the door after Urbeth returned and locked it.

* * *

Nick stirred from his nap on the couch when he heard keys twist in the lock.

"I'm home, finally," Judy called out, shutting the evening chill behind her. "Surviving rush hour on a train twice in one day should count as a workout, right?"

Nick chuckled. "I'll say!" He got up and saluted her. "So, how was the...?" he air-typed with his fingers while fake-snoring.

"Har har, exactly. So boring!" Judy smoothed her paws over her ears and shut her eyes. "But we did get medical assessments today. They plan to renovate the old gym to get the force in shape, too," she put the bag of takeout on the counter. "Clawhauser is not thrilled," she chuckled. "I said he could train with us, is that okay?"

Nick's nose twitched as inhaled the aromas wafting from their dinner. "Ooh, soup and a veggie salad! Nice work, Hopps!" he grinned. "As for Clawhauser? Well, I'm dismayed, to be honest."

Judy's ears fell. "Oh."

"I mean, he has my idea of a dream bod and all," Nick sniggered at her expression.

"Oh, shush and eat your dinner," she replied with an eye roll, handing him a fork.

"Yes, ma'am."

They curled up together on the couch to eat. "So, did the doc give you the all clear?" Nick said between mouthfuls.

Judy nodded and swallowed. "Pretty much, the blood test results come in tomorrow. I need to get some more sleep, is all. I can't wait to feel more like myself again," she said.

"'Yourself?' To whom have I been talking to this whole time?!" Nick shifted away from her on the couch in mock wariness.

Judy gave him a playful slap on the leg. "You know, strong? Not drugged, in pain or sleep deprived," she said. She inspected her salad for the carrots she could pick out first. "Chief Bogo says things are going to get super hectic at work, so I need to be at my best."

Nick nodded, blowing the steam from a spoonful of soup. "You wanna do like this dinner and veg out? How about some TV?"

Judy wriggled her toes. "Yes please!"

Nick grabbed the remote. "Anything you wanna watch?"

"So long as I can zone out, I don't mind," she replied.

"Big Bull Theory it is, then," Nick chuckled and lifted his arm.

Judy smiled and snuggled in against him. "Staying in Tundratown was amazing, but it's good to be home," she said.

"Welcome home, bun bun," Nick said, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

* * *

A few hours later, Nick had almost drifted back to sleep. Then the walls shook from a loud pounding at the door.

Judy leaped to her feet. "I'll get it, it's kinda late so," she winked at Nick, "I'll protect you!"

"My hero," Nick said, clasping his paws together and mimicking a swoon. He followed her to the front door.

"Who is it?" Judy called, paw on the doorknob. "Zander and Maggie!" Zander replied. "We uh, we have your friend here…"

Something or someone fell to the ground. "It's me," drawled a deep voice. "Finnick!"

Nick quirked an eyebrow. "Finn?" He shared a dubious look with Judy as she opened the door.

"Heeey nudey Judy sweet spot!" Finnick bowled her over with a hug.

"Uh, hi?" she replied, disentangling herself from his grasp.

Nick looked up at the wolf and the hyena. "Maggie, Zander, didn't know you knew Finn," he smiled.

"We didn't, until tonight," Zander replied. He shared a nervous glance with Maggie.

"You guys seem pretty calm about …this," Maggie said.

Nick shrugged. "Unless he killed a guy with his baseball bat, why not be calm, right?" He froze. "He… didn't kill anyone, did he?!"

"No, no! It's uh, we thought you'd be more upset? Given he's broken his sobriety and all," Zander said. He looked down to see Finnick leaning against his leg to stay upright.

Nick blinked. "'Sobriety?'"

Finnick fumbled around under his t-shirt. "That's right, I can't wear this no more," he pulled the cord around his neck up over his face. "My head's too fuckin' big! BWHAHAHA!"

Maggie leaned down and untied the knot in the cord and handed it to Nick.

He looked at the medallion in his hand.

' _No, not a medallion,'_ he realized. _'A ten-year AA sobriety chip.'_

His ears fell."I… didn't know," Nick whispered.

"No one did, 'cept yo MAMA!" Finnick burst into laughter again. "An' sheez the one who made me wanna drink in the first place! But s'all good coz nothin' matters now."

Maggie sighed. "We didn't know either. He came into The Den as we were closing, looking lonesome. Zander and I were having drinks so we invited him to join us. We're so sorry," she said, looking up at her husband.

Zander nodded. "We never would've known if he hadn't shown us the medallion after he'd had… well, a lot to drink. We thought we were being good company for him." The guilt shone in both canine's eyes.

Nick shook his head. "You weren't to know. I mean, geez, I've known him all my life and _I_ had no idea."

Judy took Finnick by the elbow. "Come on Finnick, let's get you to the couch. Maggie, Zander, thank you for bringing him here. We'll take care of him. And please, don't feel bad, 'kay?" She led Finnick to the couch.

Nick nodded. "What she said, you guys did the right thing bringing him here."

Zander shrugged. "He says he's locked out of his apartment and the keys to his van were inside, so he asked us to drop him here. Small world, huh?"

"Yeah, thanks for dropping him off. You guys wanna come in?" Nick opened the door wider.

They shook their heads in unison. "We've caused enough trouble. Sorry again," Zander said. He took his wife's paw in his and they left.

Nick shut the door and locked it for the night. In his other paw, he clutched the sobriety chip.

' _All this time…'_

"Surpriiiiise!" Finnick shouted from the couch. He put a finger to his lips. "But don't tell no one, it's a _big_ secret!"

Judy padded back from the hall with a spare blanket and pillow. "Let's get you comfortable," she said to Finnick, draping the blanket over him. "Lift your head," she said.

"It's too heavy! I got a damn football head!" Finnick groaned.

"I'll grab your ears and pull you, then." Judy deadpanned.

"Fiiiine, sheesh hot fuzz, you a grumpeh bunneh!" He lifted his head and Judy placed the pillow beneath it.

Nick realized he'd been standing there while Judy handled everything. He shook himself out of his reverie and went into the kitchen. He managed to find some aspirin. He poured Finnick a glass of water and placed it on the coffee table. "You'll be needing this," he said to Finnick.

Judy picked up their empty takeout containers and put them in the trash.

"Well, well, ain't you two domesti…catered!" Finnick drawled.

Nick flicked off the kitchen light. "Get some sleep, Finn. We'll talk in the morning." He turned to Judy. "You're working again tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, so I think I should get an early night," she replied.

"Nighty night, hot fuzz pants!" Finnick hollered.

Nick bit his tongue to stop from laughing. _'This is too weird.'_

"'Night, Finnick," Judy replied. "Good night, Nick." She took Nick's paw and squeezed it. "Everything will be okay."

Nick nodded. "I'm gonna call Ma," he whispered. "Let her know what happened."

"Ears like satellites, yo! Don't you call Viv!" Finnick said.

"Vetoed," Nick replied, phone already in his paw and his mother's number dialed. Judy let go of his paw and went into her room.

Nick's tail flicked from side to side as he waited.

When it rang out, he dialed Digitalis' number. "Hello, this is Holly speaking?"

"It's Nick. Is Ma there?" Nick asked.

"Uh, not exactly," Holly began. "We locked her and Finn outside so they could deal with their shit."

Nick blinked. "Well, Finn showed up drunk at my place flinging a ten-year sobriety chip around."

"What?!"

"Did you know he was … that he had issues with it?" Nick asked, unable to keep the terseness out of his voice.

"N-no, I had no idea, I swear!" Holly said. "I never would have… oh shit!"

"Yeah," Nick replied. "So, where's Ma?"

"I-I thought she was with Finnick? They hadn't spoken to each other and we were getting sick of it so we... intervened," Holly said in a small voice.

"So, you locked them out and thought that was a great idea?" Nick cringed as soon the words left his mouth.

"I'm so sorry Nick, I didn't, I didn't think! I thought we were helping them out!"

' _A lot of 'helpful' people around here lately,'_ he mused.

He took a deep breath. "It's okay, Holly. I have a feeling I know where she'll be. I'll go and find her. Here's my number in case she comes home first, I want you to call me if she does."

He gave her his cell number and wound up the call.

Finnick sat up, his head lolling to one side. "Sorry," he slurred.

Nick saw two shining orbs get shinier. "It's okay Finnick. Do me a favor and stay here, can you do that for me?"

Finnick nodded. "Yeah, arrite."

Nick nodded and walked to Judy's room. As he lifted his knuckles to knock, the door opened.

"Ears like satellites over here too," Judy said with a rueful smile. I'll stay up with Finnick until he gets to sleep. Stay safe, okay?"

Nick nodded and grabbed the keys from the counter. "Thanks, Judy. I'll be back as soon as I can."

* * *

A/N: I made it longer than usual in an attempt to compensate for the absolutely ridiculous delay. ...better late than never, right? (^/^)'  
I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I'd love to hear what you guys think of this chapter.


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